The Lands Under the Sun landsunderthesun_wiki https://landsunderthesun.shoutwiki.com/wiki/Main_Page MediaWiki 1.35.13 first-letter Media Special Talk User User talk The Lands Under the Sun The Lands Under the Sun talk File File talk MediaWiki MediaWiki talk Template Template talk Help Help talk Category Category talk Module Module talk Gadget Gadget talk Gadget definition Gadget definition talk 10 7 12 2009-05-02T18:34:55Z MediaWiki default 30443056 wikitext text/x-wiki <div> <!-- Beginning of header section --> {|style="width:100%;margin-top:+.7em;background-color:#4682B4;border:1px solid #ccc;-moz-border-radius:20px" |style="width:45%;color:#000"| {|style="width:100%;border:solid 0px;background:none" |- |style="width:100%px;text-align:center;white-space:nowrap;color:#000" | <div style="font-size:195%;border:none;margin: 0;padding:.1em;color:#FFFFFF">{{{welcome}}}</div> |}<!-- Blurb & useful links --> |style="width:45%;font-size:125%;color:#FFFFFF"| {{{blurb}}} |}<!-- End of blurb & useful links --> </div> a384f27c7f43d66acecf5d65137f0fd5a41a122e 10 9 18 14 2009-07-08T08:41:15Z MediaWiki default 30443056 wikitext text/x-wiki {{HeaderTemplate|welcome={{{welcome}}}|blurb={{{blurb}}}}} <br /> <!-- LEFT COLUMN --> {| width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="background:transparent;" |- | width="50%" style="vertical-align:top; padding-right:0.5em;" | <!-- Info about this site --> {{SectionTemplate|title={{{about_title}}}|content={{{about_content}}}}} | width="50%" style="vertical-align:top; padding-left:0.5em;" | <!-- Featured Article --> {{SectionTemplate|title={{{featured_title}}}|content={{{featured_content}}}}} |} <br /> <!-- RIGHT COLUMN --> {| width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="background:transparent;" |- | width="50%" style="vertical-align:top; padding-right:0.5em;" | <!-- Did you know... --> {{SectionTemplate|title={{{didyouknow_title}}}|content={{{didyouknow_content}}}}} | width="50%" style="vertical-align:top; padding-left:0.5em;" | <!-- Site news --> {{SectionTemplate|title={{{news_title}}}|content={{{news_content}}}}} |} __NOTOC__ __NOEDITSECTION__ 78f8386e9d2112600b0c1d1b84022fead288afdb 0 1 19 8 2009-07-08T08:42:32Z MediaWiki default 30443056 wikitext text/x-wiki {{MainTemplate | welcome = Welcome to '''{{SITENAME}}!''' | blurb = You can put a short description of your wiki here. | about_title = About this site | about_content = This is your new site! 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We hope to create here the world’s first (and if not the first, then the best) crowdsourced fantasy epic. Recognizing that not all of us are as creative as a J.R.R. Tolkein or a George R.R. Martin, capable of coming up with dozens of different cultures and nations, we decided to make this a collaborative effort. And so we hope to create an elaborate, and interesting, fantasy world, complete with different cultures, languages, nations, and heroes. And so, we have created a space where contributors can help to flesh out the world we hope to create by sharing their own creativity which can include inventing cultures and languages, describing characters or realms, and contributing pieces of the history of our world. Once a sufficient background has been developed, we will invite contributors to write episodes of our epic. We hope you enjoy your visit here and that you find the work produced thus far interesting and entertaining. If you would like to be a part of this collaborative process, join right in. All we ask is that changes you make to existing content respect the integrity of the original author's work. That is, adding detail and color can be really great; changing a hero to a villain is not. If you need any help, don't hesitate to contact ShoutWiki's [[Special:ListUsers/staff|Customer Support Team]]. | featured_title = Featured Article | featured_content = You can put a "featured article" here to show off the very best pieces that your community has done &mdash; or alternatively, you can use this space for something else if featured articles aren't "your thing". | didyouknow_title = Did you know... | didyouknow_content = * ...that you can add your own "did you know" tidbits right here? | news_title = News | news_content = * This wiki was started! }} a2a6ebbec13fc53fb7042d76003d64c65c8b964a 50 49 2013-09-11T04:05:14Z Schaef 3364594 wikitext text/x-wiki {{MainTemplate | welcome = Welcome to '''{{SITENAME}}!''' | blurb = The world's best crowdsourced fantasy epic. | about_title = About this site | about_content = This wiki is something of an experiment in a crowdsourced creative process. We hope to create here the world’s first (and if not the first, then the best) crowdsourced fantasy epic. Recognizing that not all of us are as creative as a J.R.R. Tolkein or a George R.R. Martin, capable of coming up with dozens of different cultures and nations, we decided to make this a collaborative effort. And so we hope to create an elaborate, and interesting, fantasy world, complete with different cultures, languages, nations, and heroes. And so, we have created a space where contributors can help to flesh out the world we hope to create by sharing their own creativity which can include inventing cultures and languages, describing characters or realms, and contributing pieces of the history of our world. Once a sufficient background has been developed, we will invite contributors to write episodes of our epic. We hope you enjoy your visit here and that you find the work produced thus far interesting and entertaining. If you would like to be a part of this collaborative process, join right in. All we ask is that changes you make to existing content respect the integrity of the original author's work. That is, adding detail and color can be really great; changing a hero to a villain is not. If you need any help, don't hesitate to contact ShoutWiki's [[Special:ListUsers/staff|Customer Support Team]]. | featured_title = About the World | featured_content = The World we are creating is known variously as <em>Lu’Amina, Garandaneth, Kâmnushajja,</em> and <em>Arsintasham</em>, among others. In their respective languages, they all mean “the lands under the sun,” which was the name of the world in the [[Elder Tongue]]: <em>Kadamu-nur-shadju-a</em>. The Lands Under the Sun comprise three great continents, known as the [[Sunrise Lands]], the [[Sunset Lands]], and the [[Hidden Lands]]. Each continent contains a number of different realms.. }} 3fd0805c5ae62084dac6bf0028f01a2d34967993 63 50 2013-09-11T13:13:21Z Schaef 3364594 wikitext text/x-wiki {{MainTemplate | welcome = Welcome to '''{{SITENAME}}!''' | blurb = The world's best crowdsourced fantasy epic. | about_title = About this site | about_content = This wiki is something of an experiment in a crowdsourced creative process. We hope to create here the world’s first (and if not the first, then the best) crowdsourced fantasy epic. Recognizing that not all of us are as creative as a J.R.R. Tolkein or a George R.R. Martin, capable of coming up with dozens of different cultures and nations, we decided to make this a collaborative effort. And so we hope to create an elaborate, and interesting, fantasy world, complete with different cultures, languages, nations, and heroes. And so, we have created a space where contributors can help to flesh out the world we hope to create by sharing their own creativity which can include inventing cultures and languages, describing characters or realms, and contributing pieces of the history of our world. Once a sufficient background has been developed, we will invite contributors to write episodes of our epic. We hope you enjoy your visit here and that you find the work produced thus far interesting and entertaining. If you would like to be a part of this collaborative process, join right in. All we ask is that changes you make to existing content respect the integrity of the original author's work. That is, adding detail and color can be really great; changing a hero to a villain is not. If you need any help, don't hesitate to contact ShoutWiki's [[Special:ListUsers/staff|Customer Support Team]]. | featured_title = About the World | featured_content = The World we are creating is known variously as <em>Lu’Amina, Garandaneth, Kâmnushajja,</em> and <em>Arsintasham</em>, among others. In their respective languages, they all mean “the lands under the sun,” which was the name of the world in the [[Elder Tongue]]: <em>Kadamu-nur-shadju-a</em>. [[The Lands Under the Sun]] comprise three great continents, known as the [[Sunrise Lands]], the [[Sunset Lands]], and the [[Hidden Lands]]. Each continent contains a number of different realms.. }} 0a6efcf6100cd2b79f4a956d03e34985afc324d9 70 63 2013-09-11T16:04:30Z Schaef 3364594 wikitext text/x-wiki {{MainTemplate | welcome = Welcome to '''{{SITENAME}}!''' | blurb = The world's best crowdsourced fantasy epic. | about_title = About this site | about_content = This wiki is something of an experiment in a crowdsourced creative process. We hope to create here the world’s first (and if not the first, then the best) crowdsourced fantasy epic. Recognizing that not all of us are as creative as a J.R.R. Tolkein or a George R.R. Martin, capable of coming up with dozens of different cultures and nations, we decided to make this a collaborative effort. And so we hope to create an elaborate, and interesting, fantasy world, complete with different cultures, languages, nations, and heroes. And so, we have created a space where contributors can help to flesh out the world we hope to create by sharing their own creativity which can include inventing cultures and languages, describing characters or realms, and contributing pieces of the history of our world. Once a sufficient background has been developed, we will invite contributors to write episodes of our epic. We hope you enjoy your visit here and that you find the work produced thus far interesting and entertaining. If you would like to be a part of this collaborative process, join right in. All we ask is that changes you make to existing content respect the integrity of the original author's work. That is, adding detail and color can be really great; changing a hero to a villain is not. If you need any help, don't hesitate to contact ShoutWiki's [[Special:ListUsers/staff|Customer Support Team]]. | featured_title = About the World | featured_content = The World we are creating is known variously as <em>Lu’Amina, Garandaneth, Kâmnushajja,</em> and <em>Arsintasham</em>, among others. In their respective languages, they all mean “the lands under the sun,” which was the name of the world in the [[Elder Tongue]]: <em>Kadamu-nur-shadju-a</em>. [[The Lands Under the Sun]] comprise three great continents, known as the [[Sunrise Lands]], the [[Sunset Lands]], and the [[Hidden Lands]]. Each continent contains a number of different realms.. | didyouknow = Index of Pages | didyouknow_content = <a href="http://landsunderthesun.shoutwiki.com/wiki/Special:AllPages">All pages</a> }} 8c0707bffe6c91360aea708229043c8dc55b4cf3 71 70 2013-09-11T16:05:19Z Schaef 3364594 wikitext text/x-wiki {{MainTemplate | welcome = Welcome to '''{{SITENAME}}!''' | blurb = The world's best crowdsourced fantasy epic. | about_title = About this site | about_content = This wiki is something of an experiment in a crowdsourced creative process. We hope to create here the world’s first (and if not the first, then the best) crowdsourced fantasy epic. Recognizing that not all of us are as creative as a J.R.R. Tolkein or a George R.R. Martin, capable of coming up with dozens of different cultures and nations, we decided to make this a collaborative effort. And so we hope to create an elaborate, and interesting, fantasy world, complete with different cultures, languages, nations, and heroes. And so, we have created a space where contributors can help to flesh out the world we hope to create by sharing their own creativity which can include inventing cultures and languages, describing characters or realms, and contributing pieces of the history of our world. Once a sufficient background has been developed, we will invite contributors to write episodes of our epic. We hope you enjoy your visit here and that you find the work produced thus far interesting and entertaining. If you would like to be a part of this collaborative process, join right in. All we ask is that changes you make to existing content respect the integrity of the original author's work. That is, adding detail and color can be really great; changing a hero to a villain is not. If you need any help, don't hesitate to contact ShoutWiki's [[Special:ListUsers/staff|Customer Support Team]]. | featured_title = About the World | featured_content = The World we are creating is known variously as <em>Lu’Amina, Garandaneth, Kâmnushajja,</em> and <em>Arsintasham</em>, among others. In their respective languages, they all mean “the lands under the sun,” which was the name of the world in the [[Elder Tongue]]: <em>Kadamu-nur-shadju-a</em>. [[The Lands Under the Sun]] comprise three great continents, known as the [[Sunrise Lands]], the [[Sunset Lands]], and the [[Hidden Lands]]. Each continent contains a number of different realms.. | didyouknow_title = Index of Pages | didyouknow_content = [[Special:AllPages]] }} 59c71038f3fdde2b37a07f91cbcabcf4af247696 72 71 2013-09-11T16:06:44Z Schaef 3364594 wikitext text/x-wiki {{MainTemplate | welcome = Welcome to '''{{SITENAME}}!''' | blurb = The world's best crowdsourced fantasy epic. | about_title = About this site | about_content = This wiki is something of an experiment in a crowdsourced creative process. We hope to create here the world’s first (and if not the first, then the best) crowdsourced fantasy epic. Recognizing that not all of us are as creative as a J.R.R. Tolkein or a George R.R. Martin, capable of coming up with dozens of different cultures and nations, we decided to make this a collaborative effort. And so we hope to create an elaborate, and interesting, fantasy world, complete with different cultures, languages, nations, and heroes. And so, we have created a space where contributors can help to flesh out the world we hope to create by sharing their own creativity which can include inventing cultures and languages, describing characters or realms, and contributing pieces of the history of our world. Once a sufficient background has been developed, we will invite contributors to write episodes of our epic. We hope you enjoy your visit here and that you find the work produced thus far interesting and entertaining. If you would like to be a part of this collaborative process, join right in. All we ask is that changes you make to existing content respect the integrity of the original author's work. That is, adding detail and color can be really great; changing a hero to a villain is not. If you need any help, don't hesitate to contact ShoutWiki's [[Special:ListUsers/staff|Customer Support Team]]. | featured_title = About the World | featured_content = The World we are creating is known variously as <em>Lu’Amina, Garandaneth, Kâmnushajja,</em> and <em>Arsintasham</em>, among others. In their respective languages, they all mean “the lands under the sun,” which was the name of the world in the [[Elder Tongue]]: <em>Kadamu-nur-shadju-a</em>. [[The Lands Under the Sun]] comprise three great continents, known as the [[Sunrise Lands]], the [[Sunset Lands]], and the [[Hidden Lands]]. Each continent contains a number of different realms.. | didyouknow_title = Index of Pages | didyouknow_content = [[Special:AllPages]] | news_title = Categories | news_content = Browse Categories: [[Special:Categories]] }} 58f24ef71fcf3f3c2f5f9919e631e12d3a085bfa 10 8 20 13 2009-07-12T21:34:10Z MediaWiki default 30443056 wikitext text/x-wiki <h2 style="border:none; background-color:#4682B4; padding:0.2em 0; margin:0; color:#ffffff; font-size:125%; font-weight:bold; text-indent:0.5em; font-variant:small-caps; -moz-border-radius: 10px">{{{title}}}</h2> <div style="margin-bottom:1em; padding:0.5em 0.8em 0.5em 0.8em;"> {{{content}}} </div> a3eaeb792831e5830ecbb2db32c638dc9f8f7349 10 10 21 2009-12-30T17:51:29Z MediaWiki default 30443056 wikitext text/x-wiki |<noinclude> [[Category:Utility templates|{{PAGENAME}}]]</noinclude> 9b3ed31a879b6aa4bb92a5b208aa67deb5a08aee 14 11 22 2009-12-30T17:54:25Z MediaWiki default 30443056 wikitext text/x-wiki This category is for '''Utility templates'''. 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Upload a new image over this one to set your own logo. 734fa5f907fd11ef18faa6435506d54c7d7d14ee 3 29 43 2013-03-28T18:59:56Z MediaWiki default 30443056 wikitext text/x-wiki {{s::User talk:Lcawte/header}} 3559a9a3d5b050de27eb5d8307d77d116689c1d1 2 30 44 2013-08-21T20:03:47Z MediaWiki default 30443056 wikitext text/x-wiki {{s:User:Solar Dragon}} fc16bbd0df472669f7061ad2d89aedaf3311711c 3 31 46 45 2013-08-21T21:30:04Z MediaWiki default 30443056 wikitext text/x-wiki {{s::User:Solar Dragon/Talkheader}} ce291e93fb8d269830d46539397abfd041cbaa75 3 32 47 2013-09-11T03:43:02Z ShoutWiki 11 wikitext text/x-wiki Hi Schaef, thank you for choosing ShoutWiki to make your wiki. We would suggest that you start your wiki off by doing these few basic things: *Upload a logo. You can do this by uploading an image over [[:File:Wiki.png]]. (not available on some skins) *Design your [[Main Page]]. The main page is likely the first thing users will see. 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[[s:ShoutWiki Staff|ShoutWiki staff]] 03:42, 11 September 2013 93cb2d9b68235dc270bc9fa49eb525124a934658 0 33 51 2013-09-11T04:06:51Z Schaef 3364594 Created page with "The language of the Elder Folk who inhabited the [[Hidden Lands]] before [[The History]] began.  Their civilization is no more but their ancient language survives as a ritual..." wikitext text/x-wiki The language of the Elder Folk who inhabited the [[Hidden Lands]] before [[The History]] began.  Their civilization is no more but their ancient language survives as a ritual language in many of the cultures of the Lands Under the Sun. <h2>Alphabet and Pronunciation</h2> Pronunciation is generally the same as in English. IPA values are given below: <table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="83"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Theme I</span></i></td> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="79"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Theme II</span></i></td> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="79"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Theme III</span></i></td> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="79"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Theme IV</span></i></td> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="79"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Universal</span></i></td> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="79"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Vowels</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="44"><b>f</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">f</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>t</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">t</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>s</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">s</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>l</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">l</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>p</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">p</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>a</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">a</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="44"><b>v</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">v</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>d</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">d</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>z</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">z</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>r</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">r</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>b</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">b</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>e</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">e</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="44"><b>th</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">θ</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>n</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">n</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>sh</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">ʃ</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>y</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">j</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>m</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">m</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>i</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">i</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="44"><b>dh</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">ð</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>k</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">k</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>zh</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">ʒ</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>w</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">w</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b> </b></td> <td valign="top" width="40"></td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>o</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">o</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="44"><b>h</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">h x</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>g</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">g</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>dj</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">dʒ</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b> </b></td> <td valign="top" width="40"></td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b> </b></td> <td valign="top" width="40"></td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>u</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">u</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="44"><b> </b></td> <td valign="top" width="40"></td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>ng</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">ŋ</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>ch</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">tʃ</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b> </b></td> <td valign="top" width="40"></td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b> </b></td> <td valign="top" width="40"></td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b> </b></td> <td valign="top" width="40"></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <h2>Thematics</h2> Consonants are organized into four themes (see, Gender, below), a set of universals, and five vowels. <h1>Nouns</h1> <h2>Gender</h2> The Language has four genders based on the four ancient elements: air, earth, fire, and water <h3>Air</h3> The Air, or Ethra Gender is identified by the presence of the thematic consonants of the First Theme (f,v,th,dh,h).  It is used for abstract nouns and gasses. <blockquote><b>ethra</b><i>  air</i> <b>efath</b><i> truth</i></blockquote> <h3>Earth</h3> The Earth, or Kadam Gender is identified by the presence of the thematic consonants of the Second Theme (t, d, n, k, g, ng). It is used for ordinary neuter inanimate nouns. <blockquote><b>kadam</b><i>  earth</i> <b>geto</b><i> thing</i></blockquote> <h3>Fire</h3> The Fire, or Zazh Gender is identified by the presence of the thematic consonants of the Third Theme (s, z, sh, zh, dj, ch).  It is used for masculine animates and for forms of energy. <blockquote><b>zazh  </b><i>fire</i> <b>djasu</b><i>  man/male</i></blockquote> <h3>Water</h3> The Water or Alir Gender is identified by the presence of the thematic consonants of the Fourth Theme (l, r, y, w).  It is used for animate feminine nouns and liquids. <blockquote><b>alir</b><i> water</i> <b>lara</b><i>  woman</i></blockquote> <h2>Subjective Form (Absolute)</h2> The subjective form, also known as the absolute, is the basic, lexical form of the noun.  There are no, standard patterns for nouns in any particular gender other than the thematic consonants used in them.  The Language generally resists consonant clusters, but they are found.  All the forms given in the section on gender, above, are in the Subjective Form. The subjective form is used for the subject of a sentence or for the predicate nominative. <h3>The plural</h3> The plural is formed by adding <b>(h)u </b>to the end of a word.  If the word ends in a consonant, the <b>h </b>does not appear.  Even when appearing between two vowels, it is not often pronounced, and often is manifested as a slight pause or lift between vowels. <a title="" href="#_ftn1">[1]</a> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239">Singular</td> <td valign="top" width="239">Plural</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>efath</b><i>  truth</i></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>efathu</b><i> truths</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>djasu</b><i> man/male</i></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>djasuhu</b><i>  men/males</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>lara</b> <i>woman/female</i></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>larahu</b><i>  women/females</i></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <h2></h2> <h2>Objective Form</h2> The objective form is used for the direct object of the main verb.  It is formed by prefixing <b>a-</b> to the noun, whether singular or plural: <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Subjective</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Objective</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>efath, efathu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>a-efath, a-efathu</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>geto, getohu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>a-geto, a-getohu</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>djasu, djasuhu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>a-djasu, a-djasuhu</b></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <h2>Bound Form</h2> The bound form is for any noun used with a preposition.  It is formed by suffixing <b>-a</b> to the noun.  In the plural, <i>the suffix follows the plural ending</i>: <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Subjective</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Bound</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>efath, efathu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>efath-a, efathu-a</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>geto</b></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>geto-a, getohu-a</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>djasu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>djasu-a, djasuhu-a</b></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <h2></h2> <h2>Adjectives</h2> As with all words in the Language, adjectives are formed from the noun.  Strictly speaking, there are no pure adjectives in the Language, and all adjectival constructions are in fact noun phrases. To form an adjectival phrase, two nouns are connected by the particle <b>va</b> (based on <b>ava</b> <i>being</i>).  If one wanted to say “a blue house” one would take the word <b>ganad </b><i>house</i> and the word <b>ethia</b><i> blue</i> and connect them with the adjectival particle <b>va</b>.  The definite article is placed after the modified noun: <blockquote><b>ganad va-ethia</b> <i>blue house </i> (lit. ‘house being blue-one’)</blockquote> If the noun in question is definite, the definite article is placed after the entire adjectival phrase: <blockquote><b>ganad-va-ethia ka  </b><i>The blue house</i></blockquote> Note that the definite article agrees with the modified noun (here <b>ka </b>agrees with <b>ganad</b>, both earth gender not <b>ethia</b>, air gender). <h2>Personal Pronouns</h2> Personal pronouns cover three persons and two numbers.  In the first person, there are three numbers, a plural exclusive (“we, but not you”) and a plural inclusive (“we, including you”).  In the first and second person, all pronouns are of common/indeterminate gender.  In the third person, there is a pronoun for each gender.  Where those being described are of more than one gender, the earth gender plural is used. <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="160"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="160"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="160"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="160">I</td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>me  </b><i>I</i></td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>meha</b><i>  we </i>(excl)<a title="" href="#_ftn2">[2] </a><b>mehu</b><i>  we</i> (inc)</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="160">II</td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>pe</b><i>  you</i></td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>pehu</b><i>  you </i>(pl.)</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="160">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>the</b><i>  it</i></td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>thehu</b><i>  they</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="160">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>ke  </b><i>it</i></td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>kehu  </b><i>they</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="160">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>ze  </b><i>he/it</i></td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>zehu</b><i> they</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="160">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>le</b><i>  she/it</i></td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>lehu</b><i>  they</i></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <h2>Demonstrative Pronouns/Adjectives</h2> Demonstrative pronouns and the Definite Article are based on the personal pronouns (which may in fact be a form of a demonstrative).  The Definite Article and the Demonstratives are as follows. <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="96"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Def. Art. (the)</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">That</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Those</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">This</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">These</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>tha</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>tho</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>thohu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>thi</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>thihu</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>ka</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>ko</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>kohu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>ki</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>kihu</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>za</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>zo</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>zohu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>zi</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>zihu</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>la</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>lo</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>lohu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>li</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>lihu</b></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> The definite article and the other demonstratives, like all adjectives, follow the noun they modify and take the same case modifiers as their nouns. <blockquote><b>efath tha</b><i>  the truth</i> <b>kadam ka</b><i> the earth</i> <b>djasu zo</b><i> that man</i> <b>larahu lihu</b><i> these women</i> <b>i-larahu-a lihu-a</b><i>  with these women</i><i> </i></blockquote> <h2>Relative Pronouns</h2> <h1>Verbs</h1> The foundation of the Language is the noun.  All verbs, therefore, are derived from the base noun form.  In each tense, personal endings are added based on the personal pronouns. Because of the specificity of the personal endings, an explicit subject need not always be used.  If the noun stem ends in a vowel, the <b>e</b> is elided. <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="95"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="171"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="95"><b>-em</b><i></i></td> <td valign="top" width="171"><b>-emu</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="95"><b>-ep</b><i></i></td> <td valign="top" width="171"><b>-epu</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="95"><b>-eth</b><i></i></td> <td valign="top" width="171"><b>-ethu</b><i></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="95"><b>-ek</b><i></i></td> <td valign="top" width="171"><b>-eku</b><i></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="95"><b>-ez</b><i></i></td> <td valign="top" width="171"><b>-ezu</b><i></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="95"><b>-el</b><i></i></td> <td valign="top" width="171"><b>-elu</b><i></i></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <h2>Infinitive</h2> The infinitive is formed by adding <b>b’</b> to the unaugmented verbal noun stem. <b>dhifa</b><i>  thought     </i><i></i><b>b’dhifa</b><i>  to think</i> <i> </i> <h2>Present Tenses</h2> <h3>Simple Present</h3> The simple present tense is formed by adding the prefix <b>ba-</b> to the base noun stem and adding the personal endings.  The simple present is translated by the English simple present. <b>b’zazh</b>  <i>to set on fire</i> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="158"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-zazhem</b><i>  I set on fire</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-zazhemu</b><i>  we set on fire</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-zazhep</b><i>  you set on fire</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-zazhepu</b><i>  you set on fire </i>(pl.)</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-zazheth</b><i>  it sets on fire</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-zazhethu</b><i>  they set on fire</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-zazhek</b><i>  it sets on fire</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-zazheku</b><i>  they set on fire</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-zazhez</b><i>  he/it sets on fire</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-zazhezu</b><i>  they set on fire</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-zazhel</b><i>  she/it sets on fire</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-zazhelu</b><i>  they set on fire</i></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <b>b’dhifa</b><i>  to think</i> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="158"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-dhifam</b><i>  I think</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-dhifamu</b><i>  we think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-dhifap</b><i>  you think</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-dhifapu</b><i>  you think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-dhifath</b><i>  it thinks</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-dhifathu</b><i>  they think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-dhifak</b><i>  it thinks</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-dhifaku</b><i>  they think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-dhifaz</b><i>  he/it thinks</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-dhifazu</b><i>  they think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-dhifal</b><i>  she/it thinks</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-dhifalu</b><i>  they think</i></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <h3>Present Continuous</h3> The present continuous tense is formed by adding the prefix <b>aba-</b> to the base noun stem and adding the personal endings.  The present continuous is translated by the English present continuous. <b>b’dhifa</b><i>  to think</i> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="158"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>aba-dhifam</b><i>  I am thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>aba-dhifamu</b><i>  we are thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>aba-dhifap</b><i>  you are thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>aba-dhifapu</b><i>  you are thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>aba-dhifath</b><i>  it is thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>aba-dhifathu</b><i>  they are thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>aba-dhifak</b><i>  it is thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>aba-dhifaku</b><i>  they are thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>aba-dhifaz</b><i>  he/it is thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>aba-dhifazu</b><i>  they are thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>aba-dhifal</b><i>  she/it is thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>aba-dhifalu</b><i>  they are thinking</i></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <h2>Future Tenses</h2> <h3>Simple Future</h3> The simple future tense is formed by adding the prefix <b>be-</b> to the base noun stem and adding the personal endings.  The simple future is translated by the English simple future. <b>b’dhifa</b><i>  to think</i> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="158"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>be-dhifam</b><i>  I will think</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>be-dhifamu</b><i>  we will think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>be-dhifap</b><i>  you will think</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>be-dhifapu</b><i>  you will think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>be-dhifath</b><i>  it will think</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>be-dhifathu</b><i>  they will think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>be-dhifak</b><i>  it will think</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>be-dhifaku</b><i>  they will think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>be-dhifaz</b><i>  he/it will think</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>be-dhifazu</b><i>  they will think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>be-dhifal</b><i>  she/it will think</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>be-dhifalu</b><i>  they will think</i></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <h3>Future Continuous</h3> The future continuous tense is formed by adding the prefix <b>ebe-</b> to the base noun stem and adding the personal endings.  The future continuous is translated by the English future continuous. <b>b’dhifa</b><i>  to think</i> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="158"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ebe-dhifam</b><i>  I will be thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ebe-dhifamu</b><i>  we will be thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ebe-dhifap</b><i>  you will be thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ebe-dhifapu</b><i>  you will be thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ebe-dhifath</b><i>  it will be thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ebe-dhifathu</b><i>  they will be thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ebe-dhifak</b><i>  it will be thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ebe-dhifaku</b><i>  they will be thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ebe-dhifaz</b><i>  he/it will be thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ebe-dhifazu</b><i>  they will be thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ebe-dhifal</b><i>  she/it will be thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ebe-dhifalu</b><i>  they will be thinking</i></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <h2>Past Tenses</h2> <h3>Simple Past</h3> The simple past tense is formed by adding the prefix <b>bo-</b> to the base noun stem and adding the personal endings.  The simple past is translated by the English simple past. <b>b’dhifa</b><i>  to think</i> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="158"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bo-dhifam</b><i>  I thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bo-dhifamu</b><i>  we thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bo-dhifap</b><i>  you thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bo-dhifapu</b><i>  you thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bo-dhifath</b><i>  it thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bo-dhifathu</b><i>  they thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bo-dhifak</b><i>  it thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bo-dhifaku</b><i>  they thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bo-dhifaz</b><i>  he/it thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bo-dhifazu</b><i>  they thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bo-dhifal</b><i>  she/it thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bo-dhifalu</b><i>  they thought</i></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <h3>Past Continuous</h3> The past continuous tense is formed by adding the prefix <b>obo-</b> to the base noun stem and adding the personal endings.  The past continuous is translated by the English past continuous. <b>b’dhifa</b><i>  to think</i> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="158"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>obo-dhifam</b><i>  I was thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>obo-dhifamu</b><i>  we were thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>obo-dhifap</b><i>  you were thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>obo-dhifapu</b><i>  you were thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>obo-dhifath</b><i>  it was thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>obo-dhifathu</b><i>  they were thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>obo-dhifak</b><i>  it was thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>obo-dhifaku</b><i>  they were thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>obo-dhifaz</b><i>  he/it was thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>obo-dhifazu</b><i>  they were thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>obo-dhifal</b><i>  she/it was thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>obo-dhifalu</b><i>  they were thinking</i></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <h3>Past Perfect</h3> The future continuous tense is formed by adding the prefix <b>ebe-</b> to the base noun stem and adding the personal endings.  The future continuous is translated by the English future continuous. <b>b’dhifa</b><i>  to think</i> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="158"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bobo-dhifam</b><i>  I have thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bobo-dhifamu</b><i>  we have thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bobo-dhifap</b><i>  you have thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bobo-dhifapu</b><i>  you have thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bobo-dhifath</b><i>  it has thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bobo-dhifathu</b><i>  they have thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bobo-dhifak</b><i>  it has thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bobo-dhifaku</b><i>  they have thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bobo-dhifaz</b><i>  he/it has thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bobo-dhifazu</b><i>  they have thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bobo-dhifal</b><i>  she/it has thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bobo-dhifalu</b><i>  they have thought</i></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <h3>The verb b’ava ‘to be’</h3> The verb <b>b’ava</b> is completely regular based on the noun stem <b>ava</b><i>  being.</i> ba-avam, ba-avap, ba-avath, ba-avak, ba-avaz, ba-aval, ba-avamu, ba-avapu, ba-avathu, ba-avaku, ba-avazu, ba-avalu <b> </b> <h3>Verbal Short Forms</h3> In conversation and in poetry, the personal endings can be dropped where the subject is explicit. <blockquote><b>Djasu za ba-thavaz a-efath a-tha</b> <b>Djasu za ba-thava’ a-efath a-tha</b> The man speaks the truth</blockquote> <h1>Participles</h1> There are two kinds of participle, continuous (trad. “present”) and complete (trad. “past”).  They are formed similar to verbs in that they are based on a prefix affixed to the noun stem. <h2>Continuous Participles</h2> The continuous participle is formed by adding the <h2>Complete Participles</h2> <h1>Non-indicative Moods</h1> <h2>Subjunctive</h2> <h2>Imperative</h2> <h1>Prepositions</h1> <h2>Spatial</h2> <table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="160">Locational</td> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="160">Directional To</td> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="160">Directional From</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>ur</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>at</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>ul</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>to</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>um</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>from</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>er</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>in</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>el</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>into</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>em</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>out of</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>or</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>on</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>ol</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>onto</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>om</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>off of</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>ir</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>by/alongside</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>il</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>to alongside</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>im</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>from alongside</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>nur</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>under/beneath</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>nul</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>to under</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>num</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>from under</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>mer</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>between</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>mel</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>to inbetween</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>mem</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>from between</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>ar</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>agains</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>al</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>(to) against</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>am</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>from against</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>war</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>behind</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>wal</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>to behind</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>wam</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>from behind</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>lar</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>before/in front</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>lal</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>to the front</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>lam</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>from before</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>merer</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>throughout</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>merel</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>through</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>merem</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>from among</i></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <h2>Temporal</h2> <table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="82"><b>o</b></td> <td valign="top" width="104"><i>by (instrument)</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="82"><b>i</b></td> <td valign="top" width="104"><i>with (accompaniment)</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="82"><b>la</b></td> <td valign="top" width="104"><i>before</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="82"><b>wa</b></td> <td valign="top" width="104"><i>after</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="82"><b>merel</b></td> <td valign="top" width="104"><i>through(out)</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="82"><b>he</b></td> <td valign="top" width="104"><i>of</i></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <h1>Vocabulary</h1> <table width="496" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120">Entry</td> <td valign="top" width="61">Gender</td> <td valign="top" width="120">Meaning</td> <td valign="top" width="195">Notes</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>kadam</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>earth</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>kadmawe(hu)</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>person (people)</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b>-awe</b>, suff. = “-ite”, “-ling”, “of”</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>geto</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>thing</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>tung</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>way, path</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>alir</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">w</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>water</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>ethra</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>air</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>efath</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>truth</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>thava</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>word</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b>b’thava </b>= “to speak”</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>zazh</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">f</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>fire</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>djasu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">f</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>male/man</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>noten</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>day</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>dhifa</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>dang</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>work</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>dum</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>place</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>kedoten</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>year</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>hav</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>number</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>avath</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>name</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>genot</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>home</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>kid</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>line</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>hadh</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>sound</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>ganad</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>house</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>akkadam</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>world</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>dhifa-gnad</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>school</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195">lit, ‘though-house’</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>eth</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>sky</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>ethila</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>blue</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195">lit. ‘sky-color’</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>dhufah</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>storm</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>kogod</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>business, dealings</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>tega</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>run, course</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b>b’tega</b> = “to run”</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>kodang</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>making, creation</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b>b’kodang</b> = “to make”</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>shadja</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">f</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>sun</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>thuva</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>language</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>dju</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">f</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>son</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>lir</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">w</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>daughter</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>azh</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">f</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>father</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>illa</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">w</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>mother</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>kag</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>stone</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>wal</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">l</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>blood</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <div> <hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" /> <div><a title="" href="#_ftnref1">[1]</a> This leads many to think that the base form is in fact <b>u</b> with an intervocalic <b>h</b> inserted between two vowels, as opposed to <b>*hu</b> with a dropped <b>h</b> before a consonant.  Were the base form *hu we would expect to see some aspiration in the preceding consonant: <b>genot - *genothu</b><i> home, homes</i>.  Instead, we see <b>genot/genotu</b>.</div> <div><a title="" href="#_ftnref2">[2]</a> Some believe that <b>meha</b> may be a vestige of an earlier dual form “we two”.</div> </div> a688028fa294131e25e8f58e868c3febc2239f6c 0 34 52 2013-09-11T04:09:17Z Schaef 3364594 Created page with "The Hidden Lands are the home lands of the human race. It was here that the first human civilizations were born including the great civilization of the [[Elder Folk]], whose ..." wikitext text/x-wiki The Hidden Lands are the home lands of the human race. It was here that the first human civilizations were born including the great civilization of the [[Elder Folk]], whose great legacy, the [[Elder Tongue]], is still used in the world today. It was from the Hidden Lands that the other two great continents of the world were settled: the [[Sunrise Lands]] to the east, and the [[Sunset Lands]] to the west. After the collapse of the civilization of the [[Elder Folk]], memory of both their civilization and of the Hidden Lands faded into memory. Some say that the Hidden Lands had been removed from human knowledge by magic; others denied that the Hidden Lands had ever really existed. After the journey of [[Meharanganar Toreanastrarax]] of [[Denesatiriux]] and [[Daegal Swordsmith]] of [[Greatvale]], the Hidden Lands were reopened. The realms of the Sunrise and Sunset Lands are reluctant to colonize there for fear of bringing on a curse, but intrepid explorers and fortune seekers will travel there seeking fame or riches, but not without peril. dc11cd5801de3d07a61150723bf2d36aa622dbf7 0 35 53 2013-09-11T04:10:35Z Schaef 3364594 Created page with "The name of the great eastern continent, bounded on the east by the [[Sunrise Sea]] and to the west by the [[Middling Sea]]." wikitext text/x-wiki The name of the great eastern continent, bounded on the east by the [[Sunrise Sea]] and to the west by the [[Middling Sea]]. 3bc9572f47221820ed9defe12ebe2fdad5e67d77 0 36 54 2013-09-11T04:11:28Z Schaef 3364594 Created page with "The name of the great western continent, bounded on the east by the [[Middling Sea]] and on the west by the [[Sunset Sea]]." wikitext text/x-wiki The name of the great western continent, bounded on the east by the [[Middling Sea]] and on the west by the [[Sunset Sea]]. feff0ae6e6db846dd09e9a44f2b8a4cc5da5104e 0 37 55 2013-09-11T04:30:52Z Schaef 3364594 Created page with "Greatvale is the name of the valley surrounding the Great Tidewater River on the west coast of the [[Sunrise Lands]]. Bounded by the Eastvale and Westvale Mountains, the broa..." wikitext text/x-wiki Greatvale is the name of the valley surrounding the Great Tidewater River on the west coast of the [[Sunrise Lands]]. Bounded by the Eastvale and Westvale Mountains, the broad, fertile valley is home to one of the most storied realms in all of the Sunrise Lands: the [[Folkdeed of Greatvale]]. 15ca7f6fc3052ed65e691e94df370e1a10737a84 74 55 2013-09-11T16:08:36Z Schaef 3364594 wikitext text/x-wiki Greatvale is the name of the valley surrounding the Great Tidewater River on the west coast of the [[Sunrise Lands]]. Bounded by the Eastvale and Westvale Mountains, the broad, fertile valley is home to one of the most storied realms in all of the Sunrise Lands: the [[Folkdeed of Greatvale]]. [[Category:Places]] 53a88d03d4cfa312951313b745794c2d93348cb9 0 38 56 2013-09-11T04:34:12Z Schaef 3364594 Created page with "The [[Greatvale]] Folkdeed is the only republic in all of the [[Sunrise Lands]]. Occupying the lands surrounding the breakwater of the [[Great Tidewater]], the Folkdeed is a..." wikitext text/x-wiki The [[Greatvale]] Folkdeed is the only republic in all of the [[Sunrise Lands]]. Occupying the lands surrounding the breakwater of the [[Great Tidewater]], the Folkdeed is an anomaly in the cultures of the continent. ==Governance== ===The Ealdormoot and Gaderungs=== The Folkdeed is governed by an Ealdormoot, consisting of Ealdormen and Ealdorwomen elected by the people of Greatvale to serve for a term of four years. The Ealdormoot is assisted in its work by a series of lower houses known as the Gaderungs responsible largely for defining the regulations and the parameters of the laws promulgated by the Ealdormoot. Each region of the Folkdeed has its own Gaderung, which elects an Ealdorman or Ealdorwoman to serve in the Ealdormoot. There are also a number of Gaderungs-at-Large, responsible for the oversight and administration of particular areas, such as food, resources, medicine, and education. Each Gaderung-at-Large elects its own Ealdorman or Ealdorwoman to the Ealdormoot. ===The Rædgivers=== Every two years, the Ealdormoot elects two Rædgivers who serve essentially as head of state and head of government, though the divisions are not clear and are fluid, depending on the working relationship of the two Rædgivers. In addition, the two often function effectively as War Chief and Peace Chief, one responsible for foreign and military affairs, the other for domestic and economic affairs. In times of crisis, the Ealdormoot may choose to elect essentially two war chiefs or two peace chiefs, depending on whether the crisis is foreign or domestic. Together, the Rædgivers may exercise a veto over legislation passed by the Ealdormoot. If one Rædgiver vetoes a bill, the Ealdormoot may override the veto by a two-thirds majority. If both Rædgivers veto the bill, the Ealdormoot may override the veto by a three-fourths majority. ===The Witeger=== In addition, the Gaderungs, in conclave together, elect the Witeger, which loosely translates as “prophet.” The role of the Witeger is to serve as ombudsman and critic of the government. The Witeger serves for a period of nine years and can only be removed from office by evidence of corruption or other serious crimes. The Witeger has no formal veto power but their opinion carries significant weight with the people and may inform subsequent elections. The position is considered sacrosanct by the traditions of the Folkdeed and Rædgivers who ignore that fact do so at their peril. (See, the story of [[Eadlin Lahwita]].) ==Social Equality== The people of Greatvale have a strong distaste for the social stratification of the other realms in the Sunrise Lands. They show no respect for lords and ladies and have even less for those who rule by inheritance or bloodlines. They respect accomplishment and will offer respect (albeit grudgingly) to hereditary rulers who govern well and actually accomplish things even if by definition such rulers would be accounted tyrants by the people of Greatvale. Greatvalers are often proud to boast their common origins as this demonstrates that whatever accomplishments they have are earned through labor and hard work, as opposed to inheritance. Wealthy Greatvalers will often ceremonially disinherit their children at the age of seventeen so as to give them the honor of earning their own wealth and making their own accomplishments. Those who are of able mind and body who choose to subsist off of inherited wealth are treated with scorn and derision by the great majority of Greatvalers. The people of Greatvale respect hard work and believe that work should be rewarded and appreciated. Therefore, they find the practice of slavery extremely distasteful for both humanitarian and philosophical reasons. Indentured servitude is sometimes permitted within the boundaries of the Folkdeed, but only as punishment for serious crimes, usually involving theft or breach of the public trust. == Citizenship == The Greatvale population is divided into two classes: Boroughsetters and Boroughræders, which translate roughly as “residents” and “citizens”. All Greatvalers, whether Boroughsetters or Boroughræders are entitled to basic fundamental rights: freedom of conscience, personal autonomy, freedom of speech, freedom of association, and other civil rights. Only Boroughræders, however, may vote and hold elective office. All Greatvalers are born as Boroughsetters and at the age of seventeen become eligible to seek Boroughræden, or citizenship. Citizenship may be attained through study, military service, or other national service. The final requirement of citizenship is to take the Oath, in which each Boroughræder pledges to support the Folkdeed in times of crisis through military service, the sciences (this is broadly understood and includes things like economics or language), or other service. About half of the population of Greatvale are Boroughræders. A Boroughsetter can apply for citizenship at any time during his or her lifetime. In rare cases, an individual can lose the rights of citizenship (usually as the result of serious crimes), but rarely loses the rights of nationality. ==Defense== The Folkdeed has no standing army, but the national defense is made up of ordinary residents seeking to fulfill their service obligations or citizens who seek to use military service as their fulfillment of their Oath. Surprisingly, only a bare majority of those who defend the Folkdeed in times of crisis earned their citizenship through military service, a significant portion of the defenders of Greatvale being drawn from those who had earned their citizenship through study or other service. The armies of the Folkdeed, while not professionals, are exceptionally well-trained and have in the past defeated forces of far greater numbers, usually through highly disciplined tactics using close formations, shield walls, and spear phalanxes. ==Relations with outsiders== The people of the Greatvale Folkdeed are treated with wariness by the peoples of the surrounding realms. While generally admired for their cultural, economic, and military prowess, their politics make them objects of suspicion. Greatvalers traveling through other realms will often find themselves harassed by agents of the realm who fear that the Greatvalers are there to sow dissension among the people and spread their repulsive doctrine. Greatvalers are also viewed by many as smug and self-righteous, especially when it comes to issues of wealth or politics. There are numerous anecdotes of Greatvalers being injured or even killed in altercations wherein they had insulted some lord or lady as being lazy and worthless. b74099b0daedd549a0c7a1bae3a0884a1fc628f9 76 56 2013-09-11T16:10:12Z Schaef 3364594 wikitext text/x-wiki The [[Greatvale]] Folkdeed is the only republic in all of the [[Sunrise Lands]]. Occupying the lands surrounding the breakwater of the [[Great Tidewater]], the Folkdeed is an anomaly in the cultures of the continent. ==Governance== ===The Ealdormoot and Gaderungs=== The Folkdeed is governed by an Ealdormoot, consisting of Ealdormen and Ealdorwomen elected by the people of Greatvale to serve for a term of four years. The Ealdormoot is assisted in its work by a series of lower houses known as the Gaderungs responsible largely for defining the regulations and the parameters of the laws promulgated by the Ealdormoot. Each region of the Folkdeed has its own Gaderung, which elects an Ealdorman or Ealdorwoman to serve in the Ealdormoot. There are also a number of Gaderungs-at-Large, responsible for the oversight and administration of particular areas, such as food, resources, medicine, and education. Each Gaderung-at-Large elects its own Ealdorman or Ealdorwoman to the Ealdormoot. ===The Rædgivers=== Every two years, the Ealdormoot elects two Rædgivers who serve essentially as head of state and head of government, though the divisions are not clear and are fluid, depending on the working relationship of the two Rædgivers. In addition, the two often function effectively as War Chief and Peace Chief, one responsible for foreign and military affairs, the other for domestic and economic affairs. In times of crisis, the Ealdormoot may choose to elect essentially two war chiefs or two peace chiefs, depending on whether the crisis is foreign or domestic. Together, the Rædgivers may exercise a veto over legislation passed by the Ealdormoot. If one Rædgiver vetoes a bill, the Ealdormoot may override the veto by a two-thirds majority. If both Rædgivers veto the bill, the Ealdormoot may override the veto by a three-fourths majority. ===The Witeger=== In addition, the Gaderungs, in conclave together, elect the Witeger, which loosely translates as “prophet.” The role of the Witeger is to serve as ombudsman and critic of the government. The Witeger serves for a period of nine years and can only be removed from office by evidence of corruption or other serious crimes. The Witeger has no formal veto power but their opinion carries significant weight with the people and may inform subsequent elections. The position is considered sacrosanct by the traditions of the Folkdeed and Rædgivers who ignore that fact do so at their peril. (See, the story of [[Eadlin Lahwita]].) ==Social Equality== The people of Greatvale have a strong distaste for the social stratification of the other realms in the Sunrise Lands. They show no respect for lords and ladies and have even less for those who rule by inheritance or bloodlines. They respect accomplishment and will offer respect (albeit grudgingly) to hereditary rulers who govern well and actually accomplish things even if by definition such rulers would be accounted tyrants by the people of Greatvale. Greatvalers are often proud to boast their common origins as this demonstrates that whatever accomplishments they have are earned through labor and hard work, as opposed to inheritance. Wealthy Greatvalers will often ceremonially disinherit their children at the age of seventeen so as to give them the honor of earning their own wealth and making their own accomplishments. Those who are of able mind and body who choose to subsist off of inherited wealth are treated with scorn and derision by the great majority of Greatvalers. The people of Greatvale respect hard work and believe that work should be rewarded and appreciated. Therefore, they find the practice of slavery extremely distasteful for both humanitarian and philosophical reasons. Indentured servitude is sometimes permitted within the boundaries of the Folkdeed, but only as punishment for serious crimes, usually involving theft or breach of the public trust. == Citizenship == The Greatvale population is divided into two classes: Boroughsetters and Boroughræders, which translate roughly as “residents” and “citizens”. All Greatvalers, whether Boroughsetters or Boroughræders are entitled to basic fundamental rights: freedom of conscience, personal autonomy, freedom of speech, freedom of association, and other civil rights. Only Boroughræders, however, may vote and hold elective office. All Greatvalers are born as Boroughsetters and at the age of seventeen become eligible to seek Boroughræden, or citizenship. Citizenship may be attained through study, military service, or other national service. The final requirement of citizenship is to take the Oath, in which each Boroughræder pledges to support the Folkdeed in times of crisis through military service, the sciences (this is broadly understood and includes things like economics or language), or other service. About half of the population of Greatvale are Boroughræders. A Boroughsetter can apply for citizenship at any time during his or her lifetime. In rare cases, an individual can lose the rights of citizenship (usually as the result of serious crimes), but rarely loses the rights of nationality. ==Defense== The Folkdeed has no standing army, but the national defense is made up of ordinary residents seeking to fulfill their service obligations or citizens who seek to use military service as their fulfillment of their Oath. Surprisingly, only a bare majority of those who defend the Folkdeed in times of crisis earned their citizenship through military service, a significant portion of the defenders of Greatvale being drawn from those who had earned their citizenship through study or other service. The armies of the Folkdeed, while not professionals, are exceptionally well-trained and have in the past defeated forces of far greater numbers, usually through highly disciplined tactics using close formations, shield walls, and spear phalanxes. ==Relations with outsiders== The people of the Greatvale Folkdeed are treated with wariness by the peoples of the surrounding realms. While generally admired for their cultural, economic, and military prowess, their politics make them objects of suspicion. Greatvalers traveling through other realms will often find themselves harassed by agents of the realm who fear that the Greatvalers are there to sow dissension among the people and spread their repulsive doctrine. Greatvalers are also viewed by many as smug and self-righteous, especially when it comes to issues of wealth or politics. There are numerous anecdotes of Greatvalers being injured or even killed in altercations wherein they had insulted some lord or lady as being lazy and worthless. [[Category:Realms]] 9b994e7c0dfe934470a3cd9996fd43de9be04c42 0 39 57 2013-09-11T04:37:31Z Schaef 3364594 Created page with "In 942 AC, the Ealdormoot of the [[Folkdeed of Greatvale]] authorized a military campaign against [[Carmadh]] over a trade dispute. A thirty-two year old woman named Eadlin L..." wikitext text/x-wiki In 942 AC, the Ealdormoot of the [[Folkdeed of Greatvale]] authorized a military campaign against [[Carmadh]] over a trade dispute. A thirty-two year old woman named Eadlin Lahwita was Witeger at the time. She criticized the action as unwise and likely to cause greater difficulties for the Folkdeed. The war was popular with the people and the leaders of the government; it was likely to be waged even over Eadlin’s objections. However, Rædgiver Derian Eoredmann ordered that Eadlin be arrested as a traitor and a threat to state security. He dispatched the elite Ealdorweard to take her and bring her to the [[Dread Prison]] in the [[Eastvale]] mountains. [[File:eadwinlahwita.jpg]]When the soldiers of the Ealdorweard arrived at Eadlin’s home, she greeted them with a plate of bread and dates, the meal that the founders of the Folkdeed had shared after the [[Long Campaign]] to be rid of the [[Last King]]. She said to them, “Brave sons of Greatvale, share with me this humble repast. And then you may do as you must for the protection of the Folkdeed.” It is said that the soldiers took the bread and dates in silence and then, without uttering a word, left Eadlin in her home and returned to the [[Folk Keep]] where they slew Derian Eoredmann. She served the remainder of her term as Witeger, and even helped guide Greatvale through the consequences of their campaign against Carmadh, which she had correctly foreseen. After her tenure, rejecting calls for her to seek the position of Rædgiver, she returned to teaching law at the Boroughræden School for those seeking to earn their citizenship. In Greatvale, she is seen as embodying the virtues of freedom of conscience and resistance to tyranny. The name Eadlin remains one of the most popular names for girls in the Folkdeed to this day. --[[User:Schaef|Schaef]] ([[User talk:Schaef|talk]]) 04:37, 11 September 2013 (UTC) 62609ee7fa8288b80e6083e8101c62f27bff0dfc 59 57 2013-09-11T04:39:59Z Schaef 3364594 wikitext text/x-wiki In 942 AC, the Ealdormoot of the [[Folkdeed of Greatvale]] authorized a military campaign against [[Carmadh]] over a trade dispute. A thirty-two year old woman named Eadlin Lahwita was Witeger at the time. She criticized the action as unwise and likely to cause greater difficulties for the Folkdeed. The war was popular with the people and the leaders of the government; it was likely to be waged even over Eadlin’s objections. However, Rædgiver Derian Eoredmann ordered that Eadlin be arrested as a traitor and a threat to state security. He dispatched the elite Ealdorweard to take her and bring her to the [[Dread Prison]] in the [[Eastvale]] mountains. When the soldiers of the Ealdorweard arrived at Eadlin’s home, she greeted them with a plate of bread and dates, the meal that the founders of the Folkdeed had shared after the [[Long Campaign]] to be rid of the [[Last King]]. She said to them, “Brave sons of Greatvale, share with me this humble repast. And then you may do as you must for the protection of the Folkdeed.” It is said that the soldiers took the bread and dates in silence and then, without uttering a word, left Eadlin in her home and returned to the [[Folk Keep]] where they slew Derian Eoredmann. She served the remainder of her term as Witeger, and even helped guide Greatvale through the consequences of their campaign against Carmadh, which she had correctly foreseen. After her tenure, rejecting calls for her to seek the position of Rædgiver, she returned to teaching law at the Boroughræden School for those seeking to earn their citizenship. In Greatvale, she is seen as embodying the virtues of freedom of conscience and resistance to tyranny. The name Eadlin remains one of the most popular names for girls in the Folkdeed to this day. [[File:eadwinlahwita.jpg]] 03a8284a0e1a2aa364434b96f709c873f539359f 66 59 2013-09-11T13:17:09Z Schaef 3364594 wikitext text/x-wiki In 942 AC, the Ealdormoot of the [[Folkdeed of Greatvale]] authorized a military campaign against [[Carmadh]] over a trade dispute. A thirty-two year old woman named Eadlin Lahwita was Witeger at the time. She criticized the action as unwise and likely to cause greater difficulties for the Folkdeed. The war was popular with the people and the leaders of the government; it was likely to be waged even over Eadlin’s objections. However, Rædgiver Derian Eoredmann ordered that Eadlin be arrested as a traitor and a threat to state security. He dispatched the elite Ealdorweard to take her and bring her to the [[Dread Prison]] in the [[Eastvale]] mountains. When the soldiers of the Ealdorweard arrived at Eadlin’s home, she greeted them with a plate of bread and dates, the meal that the founders of the Folkdeed had shared after the [[Long Campaign]] to be rid of the [[Last King]]. She said to them, “Brave sons of Greatvale, share with me this humble repast. And then you may do as you must for the protection of the Folkdeed.” It is said that the soldiers took the bread and dates in silence and then, without uttering a word, left Eadlin in her home and returned to the [[Folk Keep]] where they slew Derian Eoredmann. She served the remainder of her term as Witeger, and even helped guide Greatvale through the consequences of their campaign against Carmadh, which she had correctly foreseen. After her tenure, rejecting calls for her to seek the position of Rædgiver, she returned to teaching law at the Boroughræden School for those seeking to earn their citizenship. In Greatvale, she is seen as embodying the virtues of freedom of conscience and resistance to tyranny. The name Eadlin remains one of the most popular names for girls in the Folkdeed to this day. [[File:eadwinlahwita.jpg]] [[File:eadwinlahwita.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Eadwin Lahwita gives bread and dates to the captain of the Ealdorweard.]] adbd7d7afbde3a40d0ff2126204ccfce8c87e39c 67 66 2013-09-11T13:17:35Z Schaef 3364594 wikitext text/x-wiki In 942 AC, the Ealdormoot of the [[Folkdeed of Greatvale]] authorized a military campaign against [[Carmadh]] over a trade dispute. A thirty-two year old woman named Eadlin Lahwita was Witeger at the time. She criticized the action as unwise and likely to cause greater difficulties for the Folkdeed. The war was popular with the people and the leaders of the government; it was likely to be waged even over Eadlin’s objections. However, Rædgiver Derian Eoredmann ordered that Eadlin be arrested as a traitor and a threat to state security. He dispatched the elite Ealdorweard to take her and bring her to the [[Dread Prison]] in the [[Eastvale]] mountains. [[File:eadwinlahwita.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Eadwin Lahwita gives bread and dates to the captain of the Ealdorweard.]]When the soldiers of the Ealdorweard arrived at Eadlin’s home, she greeted them with a plate of bread and dates, the meal that the founders of the Folkdeed had shared after the [[Long Campaign]] to be rid of the [[Last King]]. She said to them, “Brave sons of Greatvale, share with me this humble repast. And then you may do as you must for the protection of the Folkdeed.” It is said that the soldiers took the bread and dates in silence and then, without uttering a word, left Eadlin in her home and returned to the [[Folk Keep]] where they slew Derian Eoredmann. She served the remainder of her term as Witeger, and even helped guide Greatvale through the consequences of their campaign against Carmadh, which she had correctly foreseen. After her tenure, rejecting calls for her to seek the position of Rædgiver, she returned to teaching law at the Boroughræden School for those seeking to earn their citizenship. In Greatvale, she is seen as embodying the virtues of freedom of conscience and resistance to tyranny. The name Eadlin remains one of the most popular names for girls in the Folkdeed to this day. d89a011831a08c5fc19e9309e4c88aec57f657c1 68 67 2013-09-11T13:17:51Z Schaef 3364594 wikitext text/x-wiki In 942 AC, the Ealdormoot of the [[Folkdeed of Greatvale]] authorized a military campaign against [[Carmadh]] over a trade dispute. A thirty-two year old woman named Eadlin Lahwita was Witeger at the time. She criticized the action as unwise and likely to cause greater difficulties for the Folkdeed. The war was popular with the people and the leaders of the government; it was likely to be waged even over Eadlin’s objections. However, Rædgiver Derian Eoredmann ordered that Eadlin be arrested as a traitor and a threat to state security. He dispatched the elite Ealdorweard to take her and bring her to the [[Dread Prison]] in the [[Eastvale]] mountains. [[File:eadwinlahwita.jpg|200px|thumb|right|Eadwin Lahwita gives bread and dates to the captain of the Ealdorweard.]]When the soldiers of the Ealdorweard arrived at Eadlin’s home, she greeted them with a plate of bread and dates, the meal that the founders of the Folkdeed had shared after the [[Long Campaign]] to be rid of the [[Last King]]. She said to them, “Brave sons of Greatvale, share with me this humble repast. And then you may do as you must for the protection of the Folkdeed.” It is said that the soldiers took the bread and dates in silence and then, without uttering a word, left Eadlin in her home and returned to the [[Folk Keep]] where they slew Derian Eoredmann. She served the remainder of her term as Witeger, and even helped guide Greatvale through the consequences of their campaign against Carmadh, which she had correctly foreseen. After her tenure, rejecting calls for her to seek the position of Rædgiver, she returned to teaching law at the Boroughræden School for those seeking to earn their citizenship. In Greatvale, she is seen as embodying the virtues of freedom of conscience and resistance to tyranny. The name Eadlin remains one of the most popular names for girls in the Folkdeed to this day. ee628fbe4c2d266e63ef06e47cc8ead71dcca00f 69 68 2013-09-11T13:23:15Z Schaef 3364594 wikitext text/x-wiki In 942 AC, the Ealdormoot of the [[Folkdeed of Greatvale]] authorized a military campaign against [[Carmadh]] over a trade dispute. A thirty-two year old woman named Eadlin Lahwita was Witeger at the time. She criticized the action as unwise and likely to cause greater difficulties for the Folkdeed. The war was popular with the people and the leaders of the government; it was likely to be waged even over Eadlin’s objections. However, Rædgiver Derian Eoredmann ordered that Eadlin be arrested as a traitor and a threat to state security. He dispatched the elite Ealdorweard to take her and bring her to the [[Dread Prison]] in the [[Eastvale]] mountains. [[File:eadwinlahwita.jpg|200px|thumb|right|Eadwin Lahwita gives bread and dates to the captain of the Ealdorweard.]]When the soldiers of the Ealdorweard arrived at Eadlin’s home, she greeted them with a plate of bread and dates, the meal that the founders of the Folkdeed had shared after the [[Long Campaign]] to be rid of the [[Last King]]. She said to them, “Brave sons of Greatvale, share with me this humble repast. And then you may do as you must for the protection of the Folkdeed.” It is said that the soldiers took the bread and dates in silence and then, without uttering a word, left Eadlin in her home and returned to the [[Folk Keep]] where they slew Derian Eoredmann. She served the remainder of her term as Witeger, and even helped guide Greatvale through the consequences of their campaign against Carmadh, which she had correctly foreseen. After her tenure, rejecting calls for her to seek the position of Rædgiver, she returned to teaching law at the Boroughræden School for those seeking to earn their citizenship. In Greatvale, she is seen as embodying the virtues of freedom of conscience and resistance to tyranny. The name Eadlin remains one of the most popular names for girls in the Folkdeed to this day. [[Category:Characters]] fa18de26ce075c4ba5398deecc49bcd9cf45195f 6 40 58 2013-09-11T04:38:40Z Schaef 3364594 Eadwin Lahwita gives bread and dates to the captain of the Ealdorweard. wikitext text/x-wiki Eadwin Lahwita gives bread and dates to the captain of the Ealdorweard. c50883b9e488508abb83cbde6f15dfe0615aeb4d 0 41 60 2013-09-11T04:43:20Z Schaef 3364594 Created page with "A Brief History of the Djunna, the Last Surviving Civilization of the Kastan’ose Valley Compiled by Aelfwine Theodwita, Senior Historian of the Gaderung of Education, 1213 A..." wikitext text/x-wiki A Brief History of the Djunna, the Last Surviving Civilization of the Kastan’ose Valley Compiled by Aelfwine Theodwita, Senior Historian of the Gaderung of Education, 1213 AC The Kastan’ose Valley Civilizations represented a unique amalgamation of cultures in their golden era, from roughly 600 PC to 806 AC. Born from the gathering of several distinct nomadic tribes drawn to the Kastan’ose River and the rich vegetation of the surrounding Kastan’ose Valley, these civilizations were born not from the blood of conflict but rather from fires fueled by mercantile and aesthetic competition. For more than a millennium the Kastan’ose Valley contained some of the most materially affluent and culturally rich societies within memory; of more significance, however, they created what may be the most advanced cultural community to have ever claimed the Sunset Lands as home. While the Kastan’ose knew something of the vastness of the world (Lu’Amina as they called it) they held to the concept that to know one’s land was all that was needed to live a fulfilled live. Know the Kastan’ose Valley they did, for even at the height of their population, the densely packed Civilizations knew never to exploit their land beyond its limits to recover. Left undisturbed, the Kastan’ose Valley Civilizations would likely inhabit their homeland today. Instead, their end came from sword and swine… To understand how they died, one must understand how they lived. The Kastan’ose Valley, which follows the Kastan’ose River due west for roughly 40 leagues after its birth in the snowcapped Mithulan Mountains, lies near the northwest coast of the Sunset Lands. The Valley was a natural breadbasket, with citrus trees lining both slopes and a thin grain called leshhni growing on the banks of the river. Birds and amphibious life was plentiful, and herds of a dog-sized rodent (the now extinct shna’mina) roamed the foothills nearest the Mithulan Mountains. It was here that nomadic tribes, at least thirty that we know of, began to settle in the Kastan’ose. It is a rare thing to speak of a peaceful encounter when more than one people first meet. But the tribes that settled in the Kastan’ose found no need to engage in competition; both resources and land were plentiful for wandering groups that rarely accounted for more than several hundred. Interactions were fueled by curiosity, not survival. Soon, specialization occurred among the various groups. While all had enough to live comfortably, the resources of the Kastan’ose were not spread equally. The Djunna, settled near the beginning of the river at the foothills of the Mithulan, began to hunt and eventually herd the shna’mina. The meat soon became a delicacy throughout the Valley. Other tribes traded in citrus, or fish, or in the case of the northwestern most tribes the strong wood from the evergreens of coastal plains. These tribes remained separated geographically, and by localized customs, but became deeply intertwined economically. As the languages of the Kastan’ose tribes began to meld, allowing for more efficient trade, the different ideals and myths of the once nomadic groups began to spread and intermingle. As mentioned earlier, there was a word for the world at large: Lu’Amina. Of much more importance, though, was the Lu’Kastani. The former translates to “our world,” the latter to “our land.” Knowledge of the Kastan’ose Valley was of the utmost importance to these tribes. To know the world beyond the slopes of the Valley was unimportant, and left to a handful of impetuous youths. To know the land surrounding the Kastan’ose River itself, specifically to understand how to draw her resources while focusing on conservation of the intertwined systems within the Valley, became the focus of their varying religions and philosophies. Regardless of the gods or spirits they worshiped, all people of Kastan’ose held this concept as central. The Kastan’ose were among the few people to be unaffected by the Catastrophe, so isolated were they. The first contact the Kastan’ose had with an outside group was with the Mith’lani, or “men of stone,” in 806 AC. The Mith’lani, natives of the Mithulan Mountains, had developed a mighty war machine fighting off incursions from the barbarians to the east of the mountain range (located near what is now called the Bay of Fingers). While they were in truth men of flesh and bone their iron swords and simple plate armor fooled the Kastan’ose, who knew nothing in the way of metallurgy, into believing they were of the Mountain itself. The Mith’lani descended into the foothills near the beginning of the Kastan’ose River. The Djunna were overwhelmed; armed with nothing but the long throwing spears used to hunt shna’mina and with no armor of any kind, they surrendered within a few days of the invasion. The Mith’lani used their captives’ habitations as a forward barracks, and forced the Djunna to gather as many shna’mina as possible to be slaughtered for the army. Many Djunna resisted, as this order was tantamount to an assault on Lu’Kastani itself. It is estimated that for every five Djunna who lived before the invasion, three were killed in this first week. The rest submitted. With a foothold in the Kastan’ose Valley the Mith’lani planned to march west and seize as much land as possible, possibly continuing past the valley to the coastal plain. This plan was halted by an unexpected unification of the Kastan’ose people. It seems the Mith’lani underestimated the importance the Valley itself held to the Kastan’ose people as a whole, regardless of their cultural differences. Despite their technological advantage, for three cycles of the Moon the Mith’lani were cheated their easy conquest by a people who knew their land as intimately as they knew themselves. This continued until the night of the third full moon, when the Vazj arrived from the Sunset Sea. The coastal city states that existed en masse at the time were razed to the ground by these mysterious peoples. They quickly marched through the plains and into the Valley. Within a week from their arrival they had marched to the Mithulan Mountains themselves. The Kastan’ose and Mith’lani were killed in equal measure, a slaughter so immense that few details of these vile men (if they were men at all) exist today. It is believed that the Vazj marched east over the Mountains all the way to the coast of the Middling Sea. Whether they changed their direction to the north or south, or somehow departed into the Middling Sea, no one knows. They vanished as quickly as they arrived, leaving behind nary a single Vazj body or artifact, only death and destruction. While the slaughter was immense, it was not complete. Of all those killed, it was the defenseless Djunna who survived. The exact reason is a matter of speculation; the most popular theories hold that the Djunna were able to hide in the thick forests where they were forced to hunt, or perhaps the Vazj showed uncharacteristic mercy and spared the defenseless slaves. For whatever reason, the Djunna were the only living women and men left in the Kastan’ose Valley. Lu’Kastani had not been spared such mercy, though, and what the Djunna inherited resembled in no way the fertile land settled by their ancestors. The only detail of the Vazj army that we know of today is their use of some sort pig or boar as a war beast. They stood as high as a man’s breast and likely weighed as much as a warhorse. It is believed that the Vazj released them before their army moved forward; this stampeding juggernaut of gnashing teeth and goring tusks would cause massive damage to an enemy before the army itself ever arrived. Their existence is known primarily from the many skeletons buried in layers of rock and snow near the zenith of the Mithulan Mountains. It would seem they were not prepared for the bone-aching chill of the peaks. Within the Kastan’ose Valley, however, they carried out their mission with horrifying efficiency. A land once composed of lush vegetation and thick groves set among rolling hills became a cesspool. The swine, and the army that followed, devoured or otherwise destroyed most of the intertwining systems of life that defined the Kastan’ose. The river was dammed by the felled forests, and today the Kastan’ose Valley is little more than a lifeless swamp interrupted by intermittent hills. The only plant still found in the area is the leshni grain. It is on this alone that the Djunna survive. At the end of the invasion, over 400 years ago, nearly three thousand Djunna survived. Today, there are barely four hundred. They are a ghost, a vestigial reminder of a once great civilization. They are phantoms passing through a 40 league long graveyard. Rumors spread through the northwest of the Sunset Lands, though, that could bring the Kastan’ose Valley back into the forefront of the land’s events. Civil war is brewing throughout the Duchy of Gurefren, the region’s main power, its political stability worn thin from expansion beyond the northern highlands into the plains and coasts surrounding the Kastan’ose River… To the west, in The Sunset Sea, strange ships are said to have docked on the Isles of Empty. It is said that these vessels carry not just men, but herds of beasts standing high as a man but with the girth of cattle. It is said they carry these tusked beasts by the score… and to the east, something stirs in the Mithulan Mountains, and on the tongues of all Djunna is repeated one phrase, Mishallan Shin’Amina: The World’s Bane. 700c2a9c0a9ae3e485599a7fb23b1cd5f3e8021e 61 60 2013-09-11T04:43:45Z Schaef 3364594 wikitext text/x-wiki A Brief History of the Djunna, the Last Surviving Civilization of the Kastan’ose Valley Compiled by Aelfwine Theodwita, Senior Historian of the Gaderung of Education, 1213 AC The Kastan’ose Valley Civilizations represented a unique amalgamation of cultures in their golden era, from roughly 600 PC to 806 AC. Born from the gathering of several distinct nomadic tribes drawn to the Kastan’ose River and the rich vegetation of the surrounding Kastan’ose Valley, these civilizations were born not from the blood of conflict but rather from fires fueled by mercantile and aesthetic competition. For more than a millennium the Kastan’ose Valley contained some of the most materially affluent and culturally rich societies within memory; of more significance, however, they created what may be the most advanced cultural community to have ever claimed the Sunset Lands as home. While the Kastan’ose knew something of the vastness of the world (Lu’Amina as they called it) they held to the concept that to know one’s land was all that was needed to live a fulfilled live. Know the Kastan’ose Valley they did, for even at the height of their population, the densely packed Civilizations knew never to exploit their land beyond its limits to recover. Left undisturbed, the Kastan’ose Valley Civilizations would likely inhabit their homeland today. Instead, their end came from sword and swine… To understand how they died, one must understand how they lived. The Kastan’ose Valley, which follows the Kastan’ose River due west for roughly 40 leagues after its birth in the snowcapped Mithulan Mountains, lies near the northwest coast of the Sunset Lands. The Valley was a natural breadbasket, with citrus trees lining both slopes and a thin grain called leshhni growing on the banks of the river. Birds and amphibious life was plentiful, and herds of a dog-sized rodent (the now extinct shna’mina) roamed the foothills nearest the Mithulan Mountains. It was here that nomadic tribes, at least thirty that we know of, began to settle in the Kastan’ose. It is a rare thing to speak of a peaceful encounter when more than one people first meet. But the tribes that settled in the Kastan’ose found no need to engage in competition; both resources and land were plentiful for wandering groups that rarely accounted for more than several hundred. Interactions were fueled by curiosity, not survival. Soon, specialization occurred among the various groups. While all had enough to live comfortably, the resources of the Kastan’ose were not spread equally. The Djunna, settled near the beginning of the river at the foothills of the Mithulan, began to hunt and eventually herd the shna’mina. The meat soon became a delicacy throughout the Valley. Other tribes traded in citrus, or fish, or in the case of the northwestern most tribes the strong wood from the evergreens of coastal plains. These tribes remained separated geographically, and by localized customs, but became deeply intertwined economically. As the languages of the Kastan’ose tribes began to meld, allowing for more efficient trade, the different ideals and myths of the once nomadic groups began to spread and intermingle. As mentioned earlier, there was a word for the world at large: Lu’Amina. Of much more importance, though, was the Lu’Kastani. The former translates to “our world,” the latter to “our land.” Knowledge of the Kastan’ose Valley was of the utmost importance to these tribes. To know the world beyond the slopes of the Valley was unimportant, and left to a handful of impetuous youths. To know the land surrounding the Kastan’ose River itself, specifically to understand how to draw her resources while focusing on conservation of the intertwined systems within the Valley, became the focus of their varying religions and philosophies. Regardless of the gods or spirits they worshiped, all people of Kastan’ose held this concept as central. The Kastan’ose were among the few people to be unaffected by the Catastrophe, so isolated were they. The first contact the Kastan’ose had with an outside group was with the Mith’lani, or “men of stone,” in 806 AC. The Mith’lani, natives of the Mithulan Mountains, had developed a mighty war machine fighting off incursions from the barbarians to the east of the mountain range (located near what is now called the Bay of Fingers). While they were in truth men of flesh and bone their iron swords and simple plate armor fooled the Kastan’ose, who knew nothing in the way of metallurgy, into believing they were of the Mountain itself. The Mith’lani descended into the foothills near the beginning of the Kastan’ose River. The Djunna were overwhelmed; armed with nothing but the long throwing spears used to hunt shna’mina and with no armor of any kind, they surrendered within a few days of the invasion. The Mith’lani used their captives’ habitations as a forward barracks, and forced the Djunna to gather as many shna’mina as possible to be slaughtered for the army. Many Djunna resisted, as this order was tantamount to an assault on Lu’Kastani itself. It is estimated that for every five Djunna who lived before the invasion, three were killed in this first week. The rest submitted. With a foothold in the Kastan’ose Valley the Mith’lani planned to march west and seize as much land as possible, possibly continuing past the valley to the coastal plain. This plan was halted by an unexpected unification of the Kastan’ose people. It seems the Mith’lani underestimated the importance the Valley itself held to the Kastan’ose people as a whole, regardless of their cultural differences. Despite their technological advantage, for three cycles of the Moon the Mith’lani were cheated their easy conquest by a people who knew their land as intimately as they knew themselves. This continued until the night of the third full moon, when the Vazj arrived from the Sunset Sea. The coastal city states that existed en masse at the time were razed to the ground by these mysterious peoples. They quickly marched through the plains and into the Valley. Within a week from their arrival they had marched to the Mithulan Mountains themselves. The Kastan’ose and Mith’lani were killed in equal measure, a slaughter so immense that few details of these vile men (if they were men at all) exist today. It is believed that the Vazj marched east over the Mountains all the way to the coast of the Middling Sea. Whether they changed their direction to the north or south, or somehow departed into the Middling Sea, no one knows. They vanished as quickly as they arrived, leaving behind nary a single Vazj body or artifact, only death and destruction. While the slaughter was immense, it was not complete. Of all those killed, it was the defenseless Djunna who survived. The exact reason is a matter of speculation; the most popular theories hold that the Djunna were able to hide in the thick forests where they were forced to hunt, or perhaps the Vazj showed uncharacteristic mercy and spared the defenseless slaves. For whatever reason, the Djunna were the only living women and men left in the Kastan’ose Valley. Lu’Kastani had not been spared such mercy, though, and what the Djunna inherited resembled in no way the fertile land settled by their ancestors. The only detail of the Vazj army that we know of today is their use of some sort pig or boar as a war beast. They stood as high as a man’s breast and likely weighed as much as a warhorse. It is believed that the Vazj released them before their army moved forward; this stampeding juggernaut of gnashing teeth and goring tusks would cause massive damage to an enemy before the army itself ever arrived. Their existence is known primarily from the many skeletons buried in layers of rock and snow near the zenith of the Mithulan Mountains. It would seem they were not prepared for the bone-aching chill of the peaks. Within the Kastan’ose Valley, however, they carried out their mission with horrifying efficiency. A land once composed of lush vegetation and thick groves set among rolling hills became a cesspool. The swine, and the army that followed, devoured or otherwise destroyed most of the intertwining systems of life that defined the Kastan’ose. The river was dammed by the felled forests, and today the Kastan’ose Valley is little more than a lifeless swamp interrupted by intermittent hills. The only plant still found in the area is the leshni grain. It is on this alone that the Djunna survive. At the end of the invasion, over 400 years ago, nearly three thousand Djunna survived. Today, there are barely four hundred. They are a ghost, a vestigial reminder of a once great civilization. They are phantoms passing through a 40 league long graveyard. Rumors spread through the northwest of the Sunset Lands, though, that could bring the Kastan’ose Valley back into the forefront of the land’s events. Civil war is brewing throughout the Duchy of Gurefren, the region’s main power, its political stability worn thin from expansion beyond the northern highlands into the plains and coasts surrounding the Kastan’ose River… To the west, in The Sunset Sea, strange ships are said to have docked on the Isles of Empty. It is said that these vessels carry not just men, but herds of beasts standing high as a man but with the girth of cattle. It is said they carry these tusked beasts by the score… and to the east, something stirs in the Mithulan Mountains, and on the tongues of all Djunna is repeated one phrase, Mishallan Shin’Amina: The World’s Bane. c092c788067fb4fdd33df1730c67347161a0b3f1 0 42 62 2013-09-11T13:11:54Z Schaef 3364594 Created page with "The mountainous territory of Vardanit occupies the stretch of land connecting the northwestern peninsula of the [[Sunrise Lands]] to the rest of the continent, cutting off the..." wikitext text/x-wiki The mountainous territory of Vardanit occupies the stretch of land connecting the northwestern peninsula of the [[Sunrise Lands]] to the rest of the continent, cutting off the outcropping to the west of the mountain range which provides the shortest journey across the Middling Sea. However, most who can afford to choose to embark from the bay to the south instead, given the harsh nature of the Vardan climate and terrain. Only one road is maintained through the Vardanit, and travelers from outside are generally advised to keep within its borders for their own safety. The most easily ascertained features of Vardan culture include the production of beautifully worked silver and velvet products and a rich collective repository of epics, poetry, and songs. Vardan food centers on goat or lamb stew, usually roasted and served over rice or large square-shaped flatbread with boiled eggs. Almost all Vardan men perpetually chew the leaves of the garn plant, which seem to work as a mild intoxicant. Vardans have a reputation among those who visit them for long-windedness and involved, perhaps even misleading, speech, but this impression can be attributed somewhat to the Vardan diglossia. As a mark of respect and honor, Vardans will usually only address outside visitors in the higher register of their language, reserved otherwise for educational and religious arenas and more closely related to Thuva-Tha, the elder tongue. Thus, knowledge of the everyday, lower register of the Vardan language is limited to the Vardan themselves and those few determined traders who have spent decades trekking through the mountain passes of Vardanit. The Vardan themselves are highly hospitable but maintain strict privacy about certain aspects of their culture, especially those pertaining to religion. Rumors abound among neighboring peoples about their practices, including that they worship either demons or fire, and perhaps also incorporate cannibalism into their rituals. The only one among these wild tales to be corroborated is the report that some groups among the Vardan historically view handling fire or burning brands as a mark of holiness, although no outsider has observed this practice for some fifty years. During the brief Carmadhi occupation of the southern reaches of Vardanit, Carmadh military conducted brutal raids on Vardan settlements with objection to the fire-handling ceremonies as a pretext, driving the practice underground if it continues at all. Since the end of the Carmadh occupation, the Vardan have continued in the principle of dapet, or necessary concealment, which allows them to lie without moral consequences if directly asked about inner tenets or practices of their religion. Thus, any information gleaned about them since the Carmadh occupation must be regarded with some suspicion. It is known for sure, however, that the Vardan worldview prizes balance. Part of this emphasis on balance involves a belief in reincarnation, which among other factors leads to a great affection for infants and children in Vardanit. Since any new-born Vardan may in fact contain the soul of a recently-deceased loved one, children are highly favored and often seem spoiled to outside visitors. Through a series of rituals and tests, religious practioners among the Vardan are sometimes able to determine the previous identity of a newborn. The other reason for this devotion to the young is a marked lack of fertility among Vardan men. (Some outside researchers have posited that the garn plant which plays such a central role in male Vardan social life may have cumulative contraceptive qualities, but not enough studies have been conducted to prove conclusive.) Vardan society, then, is monogamous in structure, reflecting the cosmological concern with balance, but male outside visitors are regularly boarded alone in the room of a daughter or young wife. Like lying under the auspices of dapet, intercourse under such circumstances carries no moral consequences for the family or the traveler, but instead is officially viewed as a contribution to the continuation of the entire people. (Some reports have emerged, however, of altercations between husbands and such visitors should anything but discretion be exercised afterward.) Vardan society is therefore matrilineal, tracing family lines and religious belonging along the only path that can be determined for certain, and outside males are sometimes “localized” through marriage with Vardan women, though the opposite is never true. The Vardan, living as they do in isolated settlements carved from (and sometimes into) the stone of their mountains, tend to be self-sufficient and have little use for centralized authority, traits which contributed to their intransigence and repression under the Carmadhi occupation. They have historically offered refuge to exiles or refugees from other realms. Vardanit does, however, contain one single leader in the person of the Danthag, literally the “people’s best.” The Danthag is believed to be the one Vardan in each generation capable of containing two reincarnated souls, specifically those of the first mother and father of the Vardan, and so symbolically serves as both to the entire people, never expressing one gender to the exclusion of the other. In a furtherance of the Vardan concern with balance, the Danthag lives within a large cavern in what Vardan believe to be the exact middle of their realm, thus forming the physical, religious, and political “center.” In practice, however, the Danthag’s power lies more in the realms of ritual and, in extreme cases, conflict resolution, with local governance performed within smaller areas by a yazdan, or “least person,” whose rhetoric is traditionally constrained by an extreme modesty but who nonetheless exercises near total control within their domain. ad55cab31d5728671fe324c811d190b4919fabcc 0 43 64 2013-09-11T13:14:00Z Schaef 3364594 Created page with "[[File:kadamu-nur-shadju-a-large.png]]" wikitext text/x-wiki [[File:kadamu-nur-shadju-a-large.png]] 13ed35a229427b2c21515f9ac546614349e02e7c 73 64 2013-09-11T16:07:32Z Schaef 3364594 wikitext text/x-wiki The Map of the Entire World: [[File:kadamu-nur-shadju-a-large.png]] ff076a0c190dcfef08539040bdfce6808d9d5609 6 44 65 2013-09-11T13:15:27Z Schaef 3364594 wikitext text/x-wiki da39a3ee5e6b4b0d3255bfef95601890afd80709 14 45 75 2013-09-11T16:09:33Z Schaef 3364594 Created page with "The lands, seas, rivers, and places of The Lands Under the Sun." wikitext text/x-wiki The lands, seas, rivers, and places of The Lands Under the Sun. b03ecb88c09f9bc22d1d961993128646e505aa3c 14 46 77 2013-09-11T16:10:48Z Schaef 3364594 Created page with "The kingdoms, empires, and other political entities of The Lands Under the Sun." wikitext text/x-wiki The kingdoms, empires, and other political entities of The Lands Under the Sun. ce5b706dbd1dba9a081d46f7ed39731dac9c9e14 0 42 78 62 2013-09-11T16:11:16Z Schaef 3364594 wikitext text/x-wiki The mountainous territory of Vardanit occupies the stretch of land connecting the northwestern peninsula of the [[Sunrise Lands]] to the rest of the continent, cutting off the outcropping to the west of the mountain range which provides the shortest journey across the Middling Sea. However, most who can afford to choose to embark from the bay to the south instead, given the harsh nature of the Vardan climate and terrain. Only one road is maintained through the Vardanit, and travelers from outside are generally advised to keep within its borders for their own safety. The most easily ascertained features of Vardan culture include the production of beautifully worked silver and velvet products and a rich collective repository of epics, poetry, and songs. Vardan food centers on goat or lamb stew, usually roasted and served over rice or large square-shaped flatbread with boiled eggs. Almost all Vardan men perpetually chew the leaves of the garn plant, which seem to work as a mild intoxicant. Vardans have a reputation among those who visit them for long-windedness and involved, perhaps even misleading, speech, but this impression can be attributed somewhat to the Vardan diglossia. As a mark of respect and honor, Vardans will usually only address outside visitors in the higher register of their language, reserved otherwise for educational and religious arenas and more closely related to Thuva-Tha, the elder tongue. Thus, knowledge of the everyday, lower register of the Vardan language is limited to the Vardan themselves and those few determined traders who have spent decades trekking through the mountain passes of Vardanit. The Vardan themselves are highly hospitable but maintain strict privacy about certain aspects of their culture, especially those pertaining to religion. Rumors abound among neighboring peoples about their practices, including that they worship either demons or fire, and perhaps also incorporate cannibalism into their rituals. The only one among these wild tales to be corroborated is the report that some groups among the Vardan historically view handling fire or burning brands as a mark of holiness, although no outsider has observed this practice for some fifty years. During the brief Carmadhi occupation of the southern reaches of Vardanit, Carmadh military conducted brutal raids on Vardan settlements with objection to the fire-handling ceremonies as a pretext, driving the practice underground if it continues at all. Since the end of the Carmadh occupation, the Vardan have continued in the principle of dapet, or necessary concealment, which allows them to lie without moral consequences if directly asked about inner tenets or practices of their religion. Thus, any information gleaned about them since the Carmadh occupation must be regarded with some suspicion. It is known for sure, however, that the Vardan worldview prizes balance. Part of this emphasis on balance involves a belief in reincarnation, which among other factors leads to a great affection for infants and children in Vardanit. Since any new-born Vardan may in fact contain the soul of a recently-deceased loved one, children are highly favored and often seem spoiled to outside visitors. Through a series of rituals and tests, religious practioners among the Vardan are sometimes able to determine the previous identity of a newborn. The other reason for this devotion to the young is a marked lack of fertility among Vardan men. (Some outside researchers have posited that the garn plant which plays such a central role in male Vardan social life may have cumulative contraceptive qualities, but not enough studies have been conducted to prove conclusive.) Vardan society, then, is monogamous in structure, reflecting the cosmological concern with balance, but male outside visitors are regularly boarded alone in the room of a daughter or young wife. Like lying under the auspices of dapet, intercourse under such circumstances carries no moral consequences for the family or the traveler, but instead is officially viewed as a contribution to the continuation of the entire people. (Some reports have emerged, however, of altercations between husbands and such visitors should anything but discretion be exercised afterward.) Vardan society is therefore matrilineal, tracing family lines and religious belonging along the only path that can be determined for certain, and outside males are sometimes “localized” through marriage with Vardan women, though the opposite is never true. The Vardan, living as they do in isolated settlements carved from (and sometimes into) the stone of their mountains, tend to be self-sufficient and have little use for centralized authority, traits which contributed to their intransigence and repression under the Carmadhi occupation. They have historically offered refuge to exiles or refugees from other realms. Vardanit does, however, contain one single leader in the person of the Danthag, literally the “people’s best.” The Danthag is believed to be the one Vardan in each generation capable of containing two reincarnated souls, specifically those of the first mother and father of the Vardan, and so symbolically serves as both to the entire people, never expressing one gender to the exclusion of the other. In a furtherance of the Vardan concern with balance, the Danthag lives within a large cavern in what Vardan believe to be the exact middle of their realm, thus forming the physical, religious, and political “center.” In practice, however, the Danthag’s power lies more in the realms of ritual and, in extreme cases, conflict resolution, with local governance performed within smaller areas by a yazdan, or “least person,” whose rhetoric is traditionally constrained by an extreme modesty but who nonetheless exercises near total control within their domain. [[Category:Realms]] eb6ab14a5e612da0964971a1c10f061255c38afd 0 41 79 61 2013-09-11T16:11:45Z Schaef 3364594 wikitext text/x-wiki A Brief History of the Djunna, the Last Surviving Civilization of the Kastan’ose Valley Compiled by Aelfwine Theodwita, Senior Historian of the Gaderung of Education, 1213 AC The Kastan’ose Valley Civilizations represented a unique amalgamation of cultures in their golden era, from roughly 600 PC to 806 AC. Born from the gathering of several distinct nomadic tribes drawn to the Kastan’ose River and the rich vegetation of the surrounding Kastan’ose Valley, these civilizations were born not from the blood of conflict but rather from fires fueled by mercantile and aesthetic competition. For more than a millennium the Kastan’ose Valley contained some of the most materially affluent and culturally rich societies within memory; of more significance, however, they created what may be the most advanced cultural community to have ever claimed the Sunset Lands as home. While the Kastan’ose knew something of the vastness of the world (Lu’Amina as they called it) they held to the concept that to know one’s land was all that was needed to live a fulfilled live. Know the Kastan’ose Valley they did, for even at the height of their population, the densely packed Civilizations knew never to exploit their land beyond its limits to recover. Left undisturbed, the Kastan’ose Valley Civilizations would likely inhabit their homeland today. Instead, their end came from sword and swine… To understand how they died, one must understand how they lived. The Kastan’ose Valley, which follows the Kastan’ose River due west for roughly 40 leagues after its birth in the snowcapped Mithulan Mountains, lies near the northwest coast of the Sunset Lands. The Valley was a natural breadbasket, with citrus trees lining both slopes and a thin grain called leshhni growing on the banks of the river. Birds and amphibious life was plentiful, and herds of a dog-sized rodent (the now extinct shna’mina) roamed the foothills nearest the Mithulan Mountains. It was here that nomadic tribes, at least thirty that we know of, began to settle in the Kastan’ose. It is a rare thing to speak of a peaceful encounter when more than one people first meet. But the tribes that settled in the Kastan’ose found no need to engage in competition; both resources and land were plentiful for wandering groups that rarely accounted for more than several hundred. Interactions were fueled by curiosity, not survival. Soon, specialization occurred among the various groups. While all had enough to live comfortably, the resources of the Kastan’ose were not spread equally. The Djunna, settled near the beginning of the river at the foothills of the Mithulan, began to hunt and eventually herd the shna’mina. The meat soon became a delicacy throughout the Valley. Other tribes traded in citrus, or fish, or in the case of the northwestern most tribes the strong wood from the evergreens of coastal plains. These tribes remained separated geographically, and by localized customs, but became deeply intertwined economically. As the languages of the Kastan’ose tribes began to meld, allowing for more efficient trade, the different ideals and myths of the once nomadic groups began to spread and intermingle. As mentioned earlier, there was a word for the world at large: Lu’Amina. Of much more importance, though, was the Lu’Kastani. The former translates to “our world,” the latter to “our land.” Knowledge of the Kastan’ose Valley was of the utmost importance to these tribes. To know the world beyond the slopes of the Valley was unimportant, and left to a handful of impetuous youths. To know the land surrounding the Kastan’ose River itself, specifically to understand how to draw her resources while focusing on conservation of the intertwined systems within the Valley, became the focus of their varying religions and philosophies. Regardless of the gods or spirits they worshiped, all people of Kastan’ose held this concept as central. The Kastan’ose were among the few people to be unaffected by the Catastrophe, so isolated were they. The first contact the Kastan’ose had with an outside group was with the Mith’lani, or “men of stone,” in 806 AC. The Mith’lani, natives of the Mithulan Mountains, had developed a mighty war machine fighting off incursions from the barbarians to the east of the mountain range (located near what is now called the Bay of Fingers). While they were in truth men of flesh and bone their iron swords and simple plate armor fooled the Kastan’ose, who knew nothing in the way of metallurgy, into believing they were of the Mountain itself. The Mith’lani descended into the foothills near the beginning of the Kastan’ose River. The Djunna were overwhelmed; armed with nothing but the long throwing spears used to hunt shna’mina and with no armor of any kind, they surrendered within a few days of the invasion. The Mith’lani used their captives’ habitations as a forward barracks, and forced the Djunna to gather as many shna’mina as possible to be slaughtered for the army. Many Djunna resisted, as this order was tantamount to an assault on Lu’Kastani itself. It is estimated that for every five Djunna who lived before the invasion, three were killed in this first week. The rest submitted. With a foothold in the Kastan’ose Valley the Mith’lani planned to march west and seize as much land as possible, possibly continuing past the valley to the coastal plain. This plan was halted by an unexpected unification of the Kastan’ose people. It seems the Mith’lani underestimated the importance the Valley itself held to the Kastan’ose people as a whole, regardless of their cultural differences. Despite their technological advantage, for three cycles of the Moon the Mith’lani were cheated their easy conquest by a people who knew their land as intimately as they knew themselves. This continued until the night of the third full moon, when the Vazj arrived from the Sunset Sea. The coastal city states that existed en masse at the time were razed to the ground by these mysterious peoples. They quickly marched through the plains and into the Valley. Within a week from their arrival they had marched to the Mithulan Mountains themselves. The Kastan’ose and Mith’lani were killed in equal measure, a slaughter so immense that few details of these vile men (if they were men at all) exist today. It is believed that the Vazj marched east over the Mountains all the way to the coast of the Middling Sea. Whether they changed their direction to the north or south, or somehow departed into the Middling Sea, no one knows. They vanished as quickly as they arrived, leaving behind nary a single Vazj body or artifact, only death and destruction. While the slaughter was immense, it was not complete. Of all those killed, it was the defenseless Djunna who survived. The exact reason is a matter of speculation; the most popular theories hold that the Djunna were able to hide in the thick forests where they were forced to hunt, or perhaps the Vazj showed uncharacteristic mercy and spared the defenseless slaves. For whatever reason, the Djunna were the only living women and men left in the Kastan’ose Valley. Lu’Kastani had not been spared such mercy, though, and what the Djunna inherited resembled in no way the fertile land settled by their ancestors. The only detail of the Vazj army that we know of today is their use of some sort pig or boar as a war beast. They stood as high as a man’s breast and likely weighed as much as a warhorse. It is believed that the Vazj released them before their army moved forward; this stampeding juggernaut of gnashing teeth and goring tusks would cause massive damage to an enemy before the army itself ever arrived. Their existence is known primarily from the many skeletons buried in layers of rock and snow near the zenith of the Mithulan Mountains. It would seem they were not prepared for the bone-aching chill of the peaks. Within the Kastan’ose Valley, however, they carried out their mission with horrifying efficiency. A land once composed of lush vegetation and thick groves set among rolling hills became a cesspool. The swine, and the army that followed, devoured or otherwise destroyed most of the intertwining systems of life that defined the Kastan’ose. The river was dammed by the felled forests, and today the Kastan’ose Valley is little more than a lifeless swamp interrupted by intermittent hills. The only plant still found in the area is the leshni grain. It is on this alone that the Djunna survive. At the end of the invasion, over 400 years ago, nearly three thousand Djunna survived. Today, there are barely four hundred. They are a ghost, a vestigial reminder of a once great civilization. They are phantoms passing through a 40 league long graveyard. Rumors spread through the northwest of the Sunset Lands, though, that could bring the Kastan’ose Valley back into the forefront of the land’s events. Civil war is brewing throughout the Duchy of Gurefren, the region’s main power, its political stability worn thin from expansion beyond the northern highlands into the plains and coasts surrounding the Kastan’ose River… To the west, in The Sunset Sea, strange ships are said to have docked on the Isles of Empty. It is said that these vessels carry not just men, but herds of beasts standing high as a man but with the girth of cattle. It is said they carry these tusked beasts by the score… and to the east, something stirs in the Mithulan Mountains, and on the tongues of all Djunna is repeated one phrase, Mishallan Shin’Amina: The World’s Bane. [[Category:Realms]] 4f7457e74636dd9446c70f8be7b6fd0538e944e4 85 79 2014-03-16T02:53:24Z Schaef 3364594 wikitext text/x-wiki A Brief History of the Djunna, the Last Surviving Civilization of the Kastan’ose Valley Compiled by [[Aelfwine Theodwita]], Senior Historian of the Gaderung of Education, 1213 AC The Kastan’ose Valley Civilizations represented a unique amalgamation of cultures in their golden era, from roughly 600 PC to 806 AC. Born from the gathering of several distinct nomadic tribes drawn to the Kastan’ose River and the rich vegetation of the surrounding Kastan’ose Valley, these civilizations were born not from the blood of conflict but rather from fires fueled by mercantile and aesthetic competition. For more than a millennium the Kastan’ose Valley contained some of the most materially affluent and culturally rich societies within memory; of more significance, however, they created what may be the most advanced cultural community to have ever claimed the Sunset Lands as home. While the Kastan’ose knew something of the vastness of the world (Lu’Amina as they called it) they held to the concept that to know one’s land was all that was needed to live a fulfilled live. Know the Kastan’ose Valley they did, for even at the height of their population, the densely packed Civilizations knew never to exploit their land beyond its limits to recover. Left undisturbed, the Kastan’ose Valley Civilizations would likely inhabit their homeland today. Instead, their end came from sword and swine… To understand how they died, one must understand how they lived. The Kastan’ose Valley, which follows the Kastan’ose River due west for roughly 40 leagues after its birth in the snowcapped Mithulan Mountains, lies near the northwest coast of the Sunset Lands. The Valley was a natural breadbasket, with citrus trees lining both slopes and a thin grain called leshhni growing on the banks of the river. Birds and amphibious life was plentiful, and herds of a dog-sized rodent (the now extinct shna’mina) roamed the foothills nearest the Mithulan Mountains. It was here that nomadic tribes, at least thirty that we know of, began to settle in the Kastan’ose. It is a rare thing to speak of a peaceful encounter when more than one people first meet. But the tribes that settled in the Kastan’ose found no need to engage in competition; both resources and land were plentiful for wandering groups that rarely accounted for more than several hundred. Interactions were fueled by curiosity, not survival. Soon, specialization occurred among the various groups. While all had enough to live comfortably, the resources of the Kastan’ose were not spread equally. The Djunna, settled near the beginning of the river at the foothills of the Mithulan, began to hunt and eventually herd the shna’mina. The meat soon became a delicacy throughout the Valley. Other tribes traded in citrus, or fish, or in the case of the northwestern most tribes the strong wood from the evergreens of coastal plains. These tribes remained separated geographically, and by localized customs, but became deeply intertwined economically. As the languages of the Kastan’ose tribes began to meld, allowing for more efficient trade, the different ideals and myths of the once nomadic groups began to spread and intermingle. As mentioned earlier, there was a word for the world at large: Lu’Amina. Of much more importance, though, was the Lu’Kastani. The former translates to “our world,” the latter to “our land.” Knowledge of the Kastan’ose Valley was of the utmost importance to these tribes. To know the world beyond the slopes of the Valley was unimportant, and left to a handful of impetuous youths. To know the land surrounding the Kastan’ose River itself, specifically to understand how to draw her resources while focusing on conservation of the intertwined systems within the Valley, became the focus of their varying religions and philosophies. Regardless of the gods or spirits they worshiped, all people of Kastan’ose held this concept as central. The Kastan’ose were among the few people to be unaffected by the Catastrophe, so isolated were they. The first contact the Kastan’ose had with an outside group was with the Mith’lani, or “men of stone,” in 806 AC. The Mith’lani, natives of the Mithulan Mountains, had developed a mighty war machine fighting off incursions from the barbarians to the east of the mountain range (located near what is now called the Bay of Fingers). While they were in truth men of flesh and bone their iron swords and simple plate armor fooled the Kastan’ose, who knew nothing in the way of metallurgy, into believing they were of the Mountain itself. The Mith’lani descended into the foothills near the beginning of the Kastan’ose River. The Djunna were overwhelmed; armed with nothing but the long throwing spears used to hunt shna’mina and with no armor of any kind, they surrendered within a few days of the invasion. The Mith’lani used their captives’ habitations as a forward barracks, and forced the Djunna to gather as many shna’mina as possible to be slaughtered for the army. Many Djunna resisted, as this order was tantamount to an assault on Lu’Kastani itself. It is estimated that for every five Djunna who lived before the invasion, three were killed in this first week. The rest submitted. With a foothold in the Kastan’ose Valley the Mith’lani planned to march west and seize as much land as possible, possibly continuing past the valley to the coastal plain. This plan was halted by an unexpected unification of the Kastan’ose people. It seems the Mith’lani underestimated the importance the Valley itself held to the Kastan’ose people as a whole, regardless of their cultural differences. Despite their technological advantage, for three cycles of the Moon the Mith’lani were cheated their easy conquest by a people who knew their land as intimately as they knew themselves. This continued until the night of the third full moon, when the Vazj arrived from the Sunset Sea. The coastal city states that existed en masse at the time were razed to the ground by these mysterious peoples. They quickly marched through the plains and into the Valley. Within a week from their arrival they had marched to the Mithulan Mountains themselves. The Kastan’ose and Mith’lani were killed in equal measure, a slaughter so immense that few details of these vile men (if they were men at all) exist today. It is believed that the Vazj marched east over the Mountains all the way to the coast of the Middling Sea. Whether they changed their direction to the north or south, or somehow departed into the Middling Sea, no one knows. They vanished as quickly as they arrived, leaving behind nary a single Vazj body or artifact, only death and destruction. While the slaughter was immense, it was not complete. Of all those killed, it was the defenseless Djunna who survived. The exact reason is a matter of speculation; the most popular theories hold that the Djunna were able to hide in the thick forests where they were forced to hunt, or perhaps the Vazj showed uncharacteristic mercy and spared the defenseless slaves. For whatever reason, the Djunna were the only living women and men left in the Kastan’ose Valley. Lu’Kastani had not been spared such mercy, though, and what the Djunna inherited resembled in no way the fertile land settled by their ancestors. The only detail of the Vazj army that we know of today is their use of some sort pig or boar as a war beast. They stood as high as a man’s breast and likely weighed as much as a warhorse. It is believed that the Vazj released them before their army moved forward; this stampeding juggernaut of gnashing teeth and goring tusks would cause massive damage to an enemy before the army itself ever arrived. Their existence is known primarily from the many skeletons buried in layers of rock and snow near the zenith of the Mithulan Mountains. It would seem they were not prepared for the bone-aching chill of the peaks. Within the Kastan’ose Valley, however, they carried out their mission with horrifying efficiency. A land once composed of lush vegetation and thick groves set among rolling hills became a cesspool. The swine, and the army that followed, devoured or otherwise destroyed most of the intertwining systems of life that defined the Kastan’ose. The river was dammed by the felled forests, and today the Kastan’ose Valley is little more than a lifeless swamp interrupted by intermittent hills. The only plant still found in the area is the leshni grain. It is on this alone that the Djunna survive. At the end of the invasion, over 400 years ago, nearly three thousand Djunna survived. Today, there are barely four hundred. They are a ghost, a vestigial reminder of a once great civilization. They are phantoms passing through a 40 league long graveyard. Rumors spread through the northwest of the Sunset Lands, though, that could bring the Kastan’ose Valley back into the forefront of the land’s events. Civil war is brewing throughout the Duchy of Gurefren, the region’s main power, its political stability worn thin from expansion beyond the northern highlands into the plains and coasts surrounding the Kastan’ose River… To the west, in The Sunset Sea, strange ships are said to have docked on the Isles of Empty. It is said that these vessels carry not just men, but herds of beasts standing high as a man but with the girth of cattle. It is said they carry these tusked beasts by the score… and to the east, something stirs in the Mithulan Mountains, and on the tongues of all Djunna is repeated one phrase, Mishallan Shin’Amina: The World’s Bane. [[Category:Realms]] f9bf90eb91f917ccd188d7401298cedce6b1335b 0 1 80 72 2013-09-11T16:14:08Z Schaef 3364594 wikitext text/x-wiki {{MainTemplate | welcome = Welcome to '''{{SITENAME}}!''' | blurb = The world's best crowdsourced fantasy epic. | about_title = About this site | about_content = This wiki is something of an experiment in a crowdsourced creative process. We hope to create here the world’s first (and if not the first, then the best) crowdsourced fantasy epic. Recognizing that not all of us are as creative as a J.R.R. Tolkein or a George R.R. Martin, capable of coming up with dozens of different cultures and nations, we decided to make this a collaborative effort. And so we hope to create an elaborate, and interesting, fantasy world, complete with different cultures, languages, nations, and heroes. And so, we have created a space where contributors can help to flesh out the world we hope to create by sharing their own creativity which can include inventing cultures and languages, describing characters or realms, and contributing pieces of the history of our world. Once a sufficient background has been developed, we will invite contributors to write episodes of our epic. We hope you enjoy your visit here and that you find the work produced thus far interesting and entertaining. If you would like to be a part of this collaborative process, join right in. All we ask is that changes you make to existing content respect the integrity of the original author's work. That is, adding detail and color can be really great; changing a hero to a villain is not. If you need any help, don't hesitate to contact ShoutWiki's [[Special:ListUsers/staff|Customer Support Team]]. | featured_title = About the World | featured_content = The World we are creating is known variously as <em>Lu’Amina, Garandaneth, Kâmnushajja,</em> and <em>Arsintasham</em>, among others. In their respective languages, they all mean “the lands under the sun,” which was the name of the world in the [[Elder Tongue]]: <em>Kadamu-nur-shadju-a</em>. [[File:kadamu-nur-shadju-a-large.png]] [[The Lands Under the Sun]] comprise three great continents, known as the [[Sunrise Lands]], the [[Sunset Lands]], and the [[Hidden Lands]]. Each continent contains a number of different realms.. | didyouknow_title = Index of Pages | didyouknow_content = [[Special:AllPages]] | news_title = Categories | news_content = Browse Categories: [[Special:Categories]] }} 08ce11ddc822d6b242801f7947b89e45cf08add4 81 80 2013-09-11T16:16:27Z Schaef 3364594 wikitext text/x-wiki {{MainTemplate | welcome = Welcome to '''{{SITENAME}}!''' | blurb = The world's best crowdsourced fantasy epic. | about_title = About this site | about_content = This wiki is something of an experiment in a crowdsourced creative process. We hope to create here the world’s first (and if not the first, then the best) crowdsourced fantasy epic. Recognizing that not all of us are as creative as a J.R.R. Tolkein or a George R.R. Martin, capable of coming up with dozens of different cultures and nations, we decided to make this a collaborative effort. And so we hope to create an elaborate, and interesting, fantasy world, complete with different cultures, languages, nations, and heroes. And so, we have created a space where contributors can help to flesh out the world we hope to create by sharing their own creativity which can include inventing cultures and languages, describing characters or realms, and contributing pieces of the history of our world. Once a sufficient background has been developed, we will invite contributors to write episodes of our epic. We hope you enjoy your visit here and that you find the work produced thus far interesting and entertaining. If you would like to be a part of this collaborative process, join right in. All we ask is that changes you make to existing content respect the integrity of the original author's work. That is, adding detail and color can be really great; changing a hero to a villain is not. If you need any help, don't hesitate to contact ShoutWiki's [[Special:ListUsers/staff|Customer Support Team]]. | featured_title = About the World | featured_content = The World we are creating is known variously as <em>Lu’Amina, Garandaneth, Kâmnushajja,</em> and <em>Arsintasham</em>, among others. In their respective languages, they all mean “the lands under the sun,” which was the name of the world in the [[Elder Tongue]]: <em>Kadamu-nur-shadju-a</em>. [[File:kadamu-nur-shadju-a-large.png|400px|thumb|center|The map of the Lands Under the Sun.]] [[The Lands Under the Sun]] comprise three great continents, known as the [[Sunrise Lands]], the [[Sunset Lands]], and the [[Hidden Lands]]. Each continent contains a number of different realms.. | didyouknow_title = Index of Pages | didyouknow_content = [[Special:AllPages]] | news_title = Categories | news_content = Browse Categories: [[Special:Categories]] }} 44859a8ca1cd0971d8b35977ca864017c577116c 14 47 82 2013-09-11T16:17:57Z Schaef 3364594 Created page with "The people of The Lands Under the Sun." wikitext text/x-wiki The people of The Lands Under the Sun. 67922d4c82323de280ee21638a8804c1b62d5354 0 48 83 2014-03-16T02:40:30Z 108.18.182.51 0 Created page with "The Long Campaign is the name given to the nine-year long civil war that removed the Last King of [[Greatvale]] and established the republic known as the Folkdeed of Greatva..." wikitext text/x-wiki The Long Campaign is the name given to the nine-year long civil war that removed the Last King of [[Greatvale]] and established the republic known as the [[Folkdeed of Greatvale]]. <h3>Background</h3> In the year 120 PC, Archon Zajjasu of Carmadh celebrated the tenth year of his reign with a hunting party.  This hunting party attracted some of the great nobles and leaders of the western Sunrise Lands. Notably absent from the invitation was King Godwine III Beorncyning of Greatvale, though few were surprised by this, as relations between Carmadh and Greatvale were cool at the time. Zajjasu took his hunting party along the western side of the Kiting Mountains, the name by which Carmadh refers to the Westvale Mountains.  Toward the end of the expedition, Zajjasu led his party into the Deepwood, the forest to the south of the Westvale Mountains that marks the boundary between Carmadh and Greatvale. Although at this time the border had never been firmly established between the two realms, the woods were considered something of a “neutral zone” between the kingdoms, available for ordinary use by the people, but off limits for military or commercial use. When Godwine became aware of Zajjasu’s party’s presence in the Deepwood, the slight of his non-invitation became insult.  He declared that Carmadh’s presence in the Deepwood was an affront to all of Greatvale and especially to the honor of his house. To announce his response, he spoke before the Ealdormoot, many of whom were skeptical, but since Godwine merely convened the gathering to declare his intention rather than seek their counsel, their opinions were largely irrelevant. This followed a long pattern of erratic behavior on the part of Godwine and his increasing indifference toward the opinions of the nobles and aristocrats who made up the Ealdormoot. On the first day of [[Lenctenmath]] 118 PC, Godwine led a great host out from Folkhame toward the Deepwood to engage Zajjasu and to secure the Deepwood once and for all as Greatvale territory. On the way west, the army camped outside the town of Oxbridge, near the farm of Swithin Sceaphyrd, a commoner landholder.  During the encampment, the men of Godwine’s host resupplied themselves with the produce of Sceaphyrd’s farm, slaughtered his flocks, and at one point, seized his daughters for the “comfort” of the troops.  Sceaphyrd pleaded to the king for justice for his daughters and restitution for his lost crops and livestock.  The king rejected Sceaphyrd’s plea and sent him away. The king was reported to have said, “The problems of peasants are nothing when the honor of kings is at stake.” Devastated, Sceaphyrd went to the Boroughmoot of Oxbridge and requested their aid.  The Boroughmoot authorized their Ealdorman, Hrothgar of Wildewood, himself a cousin to Godwine, to petition the King for mercy through the Ealdormoot. Ealdor Hrothgar was in Oxbridge at the time and agreed to speak to his cousin for restitution and return of the girls. When Hrothgar appeared before the king, Godwine became so incensed that his judgment was being questioned, by his kin and his subjects, that he had Hrothgar arrested as a traitor and bound in irons.  He then dispatched a legion to raze Oxbridge to the ground as a “town in rebellion.” Swithun Sceaphyrd and his family were all executed as sympathizers to the Carmadh cause, though it is sometimes believed that one of his daughters escaped.  Every member of the Boroughmoot was nailed to the walls of Oxbridge before they were set on fire. <h3>Leofric’s Rebellion</h3> Leofric of Brandwyck, a Hundredman in Godwine’s army was witness to the razing of Oxbridge as he rode with some of his officers on sentry around the camp.  Having become convinced that the king, after a long history of erratic behavior, had in fact gone mad, he and his officers rode as fast as they could back to Folkhame with news of the destruction of Oxbridge. The Ealdormoot was greatly distressed to hear the news, but opted to take no action—half of the members were either kin or appointees of the king. Many even criticized Leofric for raising the matter during a time of national crisis, a crisis, Leofric noted, that had been started by this same mad king. Leofric took the curious, and at the time, novel action of resigning his commission to the Ealdormoot rather than to the king, saying that his honor as a soldier would not allow him to continue to serve a king who was enemy to his own subjects.  He would not speak on behalf of his officers, but all of them followed suit and resigned before the Ealdormoot. Leofric and his officers rode north headed toward Brandwyck.  En route they were intercepted by a rider who bore a surprising message: a number of the Ealdormen and -women shared Leofric’s concerns about the king and wished to meet with him.  A day later, in a back room at the Fly &amp; Eel Inn, Leofric and his men met with Æthelræd of Whitshollow, Frithuswith of Northmarch, and Hereweald of Eoford. The members of the Ealdormoot told Leofric that they had had some concerns about the king for some time, noting that his edicts had grown more and more erratic and that this entire venture against Carmadh was forced down the Ealdormoot’s throat.  As the conversation went late into the night, the list of the king’s follies and crimes grew longer and longer as the Ealdors shared what they knew.  At each report, Leofric became more and more disturbed and agitated. Finally, Æthelræd stated bluntly, “The king is insane,” to which Leofric famously replied: S<em>e cyning is ne wodseoc; cyningscipe biđ wodseoc</em> - ”The king is not insane; king<em>ship </em>is insane.” He went on to note the injustices perpetrated by practically every king after King Cynric I, even the kings they considered “good”, and noted that it was the entire structure that bred this kind of evil.  Some of his officers shared stories of horrors from neighboring realms.  And every once in a while one of the company would simply utter: “The king is not insane; kingship is insane.” As they paused at one point, simply to reflect on what had been said, Frithuswith sat forward in her chair and asked: “Who is Greatvale for, in the end? The King or the people?” Leofric stood and announced his intention to continue his ride north and there to rally the people to declare a free state independent of the crown. The Ealdors agreed that they would return to Folkhame to try to discern how many of the Ealdormoot would support such action. Leofric rode north to Brandwyck and shared with the Boroughmoot what had taken place in Oxbridge and the other reports of the king’s misdeeds. The Boroughmoot reacted with horror but were reluctant to take action. “What course do we have available to us?” one member reportedly asked. “Shall we set up for ourselves a king in the north against whom some later valiant son will have to rebel?” Leofric replied, “There will be no king in the north, and if the fates are with us, there will be no king in the south. Our task is to create a work of the people, a <em>folkdeed</em>.” The Boroughmoot affirmed the idea and on the 12th day of Blostmath 118 PC, the free and independent Folkdeed of Northvale was declared.  Leofric was offered the post of Lord Protector but declined, arguing that he could better support the new state as a general and pleaded with the Boroughmoot to govern as a council.  In later years, Leofric is reported to have said, “Had I taken the office, even though it have a different title, I would have been a king; and I had seen enough of kingship to know that I was not strong enough a man to resist its corruptions.” Leofric went to the neighboring estates and holdfasts, personally appealing for support. It was said that such was Leofric’s passion, valor, and charm that he often persuaded people within the first minutes of his conversation with them.  Within a month the whole of the Northvale and the Northmarch had allied themselves with the fledgling state in Brandwyck.  Leofric proved an impressive commander and within a few weeks had established defenses for the new realm that were the rival of anything the Kingdom had ever produced. <h3>The King’s March (118-116 PC)</h3> When King Godwine was told of what had happened in Brandwyck he was outraged.  He quickly broke camp and returned to Folkhame with his entire army, save a couple of legions to guard the frontier, which he still believed was about to be invaded by Carmadh. When he arrived in Folkhame, he disbanded the Ealdormoot and placed many of the members under house arrest. Godwine believed that Brandwyck could never have done what it did without either aid or encouragement from the Ealdormoot and set out to determine who in the council had betrayed him. While the Kingdom of Greatvale had never been anything remotely resembling a participatory democracy, the Ealdormoot had long been a respected advisory body, and helped the nobles to feel involved in the kingdom and giving them a sense of ownership.  Now, those same nobles were being rounded up and imprisoned by the king and his agents.  Æthelræd of Whitshollow was thrown into a dungeon and eventually died under torture.  Frithuswith of Northmarch and Hereweald of Eoford were able to escape Folkhame and were taken north by agents of Leofric. Godwine’s measures in Folkhame were brutal and achieved a measure of success; all dissension was quelled in the capital and when the Ealdormoot was eventually reconvened, it declared all of Godwine’s actions to be legal and necessary in defense of the realm.  They declared the Northvale and Northmarch as territories in rebellion and as traitors deserving of death. Any member of the Ealdormoot who was not in attendance or who would not sign a proxy letter was declared anathema and placed under an order of condemnation. Godwine dismissed Folkhome’s boroughmoot and left a governor in charge of the city. Feeling that the situation in Folkhame had been stabilized, he took his army north into the surrounding countryside to root out rebel sympathizers. There was no method to the king’s effort to root out enemies of the crown.  At times he appeared to select targets on a whim, burning down farms and even entire villages because he <em>knew</em> they had to be part of this rebellion. For two years, Godwine’s army terrorized the central valley on either side of the Great Tidewater. Entreaties by the Ealdormoot to return to Folkhome and take his place on the throne were ignored. In all this time, Godwine made not one attempt to enter the lands that had declared independence.  All of his activity took place on land that was considered to be loyal. Over the course of the King’s March, it is believed that some 30,000 Greatvalers died at the hands of the king’s army. <h3>The Siege of the North (116-114 PC)</h3> Having been satisfied that the lands behind him were now free of treason, Godwine set his eyes on the north country.  In Sonnemath of 116, he led his host north along the Great Tidewater toward Brandwyck.  Leofric had by this time erected fortifications all along the ridge line, preserving the high vale territories, on which much grain could be grown, but also the mills of the the upper Tidewater.  Had Godwine marched north immediately, rather than needlessly terrorizing the southern and central countryside, he would have caught the Folkdeed in a much more disadvantaged state. As it was, the king’s host was prevented from moving further up the valley; the fortifications were sufficient to hold Godwine’s advance but not to drive it back completely.  One of the great strengths of the Kingdom of Greatvale is that the entire geography is something of a fortress. The mountain that surround the valley are exceptionally difficult to cross in great numbers and the safe passes are few.  Godwine decided to use this to his advantage.  He decided to lay siege to Northvale and starve them out. He dispatched two legions to secure the passes to the north and northeast of the vale. In one case, he illegally sent troops over foreign soil to block the pass from the back end. Leofric dispatched as many forces as he could to defend the passes from incursion, but knew he did not have enough strength to dislodge the king’s troops and maintain the defenses along his southern fortifications.  The Brandwyck boroughmoot established programs to store food as best as possible. Great storehouses were constructed for grain. A woman named Hilda, widow to Eadmund Fiscere, led a band of people north into the mountains to carve out great chunks of ice and bring them down into the vale by sledge. They placed these large pieces of ice in the ground and built structures over them.  These “Hilda’s Iceboxes” became huge storage centers for fish from Lake Sworetunga  and other perishable produce of the region. Initially, people were asked to sacrifice a meal a day to save on food and then two; by the end of the siege, these conditions would be considered feasting. The winter of 116-115 PC was relatively mild with a late fall and an early spring. Food production was diminished but was still able to provide for the people of Northvale.  The winter of 115-114 PC was brutal and early frosts were hard on fruit trees.  The depth of the ice on Lake Sworetunga made fishing difficult and the yields of fish were much lower that year.  In addition, Godwine sent raiding parties across the frontier to set fire to fields just before harvest, devastating entire communities.  This, in turn, led to the development of the Folkeored, a mounted regiment who could patrol the farmlands and respond quickly to any reports of firing of fields.  The Folkeored was ultimately able to capture or kill most of those who came on raiding parties but not before those parties exacted a heavy toll. <h3>Rebellion in the South (114 – 113 PC)</h3> Ultimately, the rescue of the north did not come from Leofric’s armies or the Folkeored, but from the peoples of the south.  The siege on Northvale had had disastrous effects on the economies of the south, especially the trading and merchant fleets of Fralin’s Deep.  By the second century P.C., Greatvale had established itself as a seagoing, mercantile power in the region.  There was a high demand for the quality linen and much of the produce of the northern vale.  Godwine’s siege of the north had prevented any goods from leaving and the commercial interests of the south were suffering the effects.  The southern merchants had petitioned the king repeatedly through the Ealdormoot, but as with everything else, those petitions went unheeded.  As the siege dragged on, rumblings in the south that the king was no longer a protector of the realm but a maniac bent on punishment of those who defied him began to increase.  The horrors of the King’s March were now becoming more and more well-known as reports of the king’s indiscriminate justice began to travel the realm. In Regenmath of 114, the boroughmoot of Fiscerehæfen declared itself independent of the crown even going so far as to declare themselves to be the <em>folkdeed </em>of Fiscerehæfen. Seven other coastal cities followed suit and before long were calling themselves the Folkdeed of Southvale. Town militias and other companies of volunteers were hastily put together and marched north to secure important roads and trade routes. One company marched into Wulfred’s Byland to secure important grain resources. When word of the southern rebellion reached Godwine in the north, he immediately pulled his forces back and marched on Folkhame. His advance was slowed by muddy roads and ironically by the lack of provisions in the central valley due to his harsh campaigning there two years before. By the time Godwine reached Folkhame, the city had lost half its population to flight.  Tens of thousands streamed south into the lands of the Southvale Folkdeed. The governor whom Godwine had placed in charge of Folkhome after disbanding the city’s boroughmoot, ruled with an excessively heavy hand in an effort to quell any dissent. When Godwine got to Folkhame, he found it essentially plundered, as the city’s residents had taken everything of value they could, the most valuable thing being themselves as the city’s workforce.  Godwine executed his governor for incompetence and immediately dispatched his soldiers around the city to shore up the defenses and attain provision. Godwine was still under the impression that his force was the strongest, and in strictly speaking numeric terms this may have been the case. But by this time, after four years of war that had done little to quell the northern rebellion and had succeeded in igniting a southern one, many in the royal army were demoralized.  In fact, so intent had Godwine been on quelling dissent in the broader population, that he had ignored the rising levels of dissatisfaction in his own forces.  In Hærfestmath of 114 PC, Osbeorn Swordsmith, a commander in the royal host, simply marched his legions out of the gates of Folkhame and defected en masse to the southern cause.  Osbeorn was a nobleman of a long-established house that prized honor, and like Leofric before him, decided that his honor would not allow him to serve a king who had become his subjects’ enemy.  According to the reports, took his legions outside the gates, stood before them and announced, “We are marching south to join in the defense of the southern lands from this monster of a king.  Any man who wishes to stay may do so without penalty.” According to those same reports, not a single soldier left.  Many have speculated as to why Osbeorn did not simply command his legions to take control of Folkhame itself and become king. Speculation has long focused on whether Osbeorn had the numbers to accomplish this task and has largely ignored the reality that to someone of Osbeorn’s background, such a betrayal would never have been honorable, whereas riding to the defense of an oppressed population (and one in sore need of experienced military leadership) was honorable.  One apocryphal report states that as they rode south, one of Osbeorn’s captains said to him, “The king truly is insane,” whereupon Osbeorn is said to have replied, “The king is not insane, kingship is insane.” <h3>The Intervention (113-112 PC)</h3> The ongoing crisis in Greatvale eventually became one of tremendous concern to the surrounding realms.  Godwine himself had never been popular and initially the rebellion brought comfort to some of the other powers in the region, especially to Zajjasu of Carmadh.  But as the conflict wore on, it became clear that the <em>nature </em>of the rebellion was a bigger threat than Godwine himself had ever been.  Two dissident realms had established themselves in the north and south of Greatvale and neither one had proclaimed a king. In fact, they had both declared themselves to be intentionally free of a king.  Fearing the political instability this might bring about in their own realms, the surrounding powers all sent expeditionary forces into Greatvale to shore up Godwine and help to quell the rebellions. Initially, southern forces were taken aback by the foreign intervention, and heavy losses were suffered in the initial encounters, particularly in Wulfred’s Byland and in the south-east marches below the Eastvale Mountains.  However, Osbeorn led a force into the Byland and met Zajjasu’s forces at the edge of the Deepwood.  Osbeorn’s army routed Zajjasu completely and by the end of the engagement had secured the entirety of the Deepwood under southern control.  Some have speculated that Osbeorn took the Deepwood as an insult to Godwine who had precipitated the entire crisis when he had set out to do so five years earlier. In the north, Leofric sent a host to engage an army attempting to invade through the Upgang Pass. Leofric sent a local militia commander named Weland who had impressed Leofric with his skill.  Weland was also from near the pass and his knowledge of the pass helped him to defeat a force that outnumbered his two-to-one. Leofric himself took a great army and marched south toward Folkhame.  Godwine had foolishly believed that the intervention was turning the tide and so had sent two armies out of Folkhame to retake the south and west vales.  A separate force from Brandwyck intercepted Godwine’s western host and fought a battle there that, while not decisive, did cause the force to retreat back to Folkhame.  A second royalist force traveled along the Tidewater but was constantly harassed by southern forces as they made their way south and were never able to meet up with the interventionist forces as had been hoped.  In fact, the intervention only served to stoke the fires of rebellion among the towns and cities of Greatvale, for now it was clear that Godwine was in league with Greatvale's enemies.  And while most were wise enough to realize that the foreign powers were doing this to advance their own interests, the symbolism of their king fighting alongside foreign forces to oppress his own people was too powerful to ignore and served to galvanize the entire rebellion. On the 10th day of [[Midmath]] 112 PC, Godwine took his remaining forces from Folkhame and marched north to meet Leofric’s host that had been traveling south along the east shore of the Tidewater. <h3>Campaign’s End (111-110 PC)</h3> On the 15th day of Regenmath 111 PC, Godwine’s armies engaged Leofric’s host at the north ford of the Tidewater.  In a battle that lasted two days, Leofric defeated Godwine who took his army and fled west to the Westvale Mountains.  Leofric followed in pursuit, stopping only to establish a garrison at Folkhame.  Leofric left strict instruction that no one was to be harmed in the city, that the boroughmoot was to be restored to power and that the provision of the people’s material need should be a priority.  What few members of the Ealdormoot who remained convened at the same time and disavowed all the decrees against Leofric and Osbeorn that they had issued under Godwine’s direction. Leofric continued west in pursuit of Godwine only to encounter another royalist force in the midvale. This force had been the one previously sent west and defeated by another northern army the previous year. This army was utterly destroyed.  Most of the soldiers fled dropping their weapons and casting off what armor they had as they ran.  Those who remained to fight were vastly outmatched by a better led army, and one with a far higher morale.  In fact, many of the residents of the region, remembering the King’s March, joined with Leofric’s forces as the battle raged or served as pickets around the battlefield, capturing fleeing royalist soldiers. In the end, Leofric continued his march west with surprisingly few casualties. At the base of the Heofodbend Mountain, he was joined by the northern host and by Osbeorn’s army, returned from the Deepwood, minus a border garrison. Godwine had entrenched himself up the mountain at the Crown’s Keep and been joined by the remnants of another royalist host that had been sent into the south without success. Leofric and Osbeorn longed for war to be over, but they knew that an assault on the keep would be a disaster and would cost thousands of men.  The forces of north and south began to lay siege on the keep. By Cyrtenmath, the siege was entering its sixth month without an end in sight.  Leofric and Osbeorn’s forces had constructed impressive siege equipment and were in the midst of planning a massive assault to take the keep and end the war once and for all when a strange visitor begged entrance into the camp.  An old man dressed simply in black sackcloth, begged an audience with the generals.  After having the man searched for any weapons, they admitted him into their presence. He identified himself as Kyrion Halfmage of House Akkadon, the royal house of Carmadh, and a member of the Order of the Sun. He offered a solution to the impasse: the gates of the Crown Keep would open and the soldiers of Godwine’s army would be allowed to return to their homes in exchange for an oath of fealty to Leofric and Osbeorn.  Godwine himself would be allowed to live, but would spend his days in the Royal Crypt under the care of the Order of the Sun.  The Order of the Sun would be granted perpetual dominion over the crypt in exchange for the House of Wulfred dropping any claim to the throne of Greatvale. Leofric responded that the soldiers of Godwine’s army must swear oaths of fealty not to them but to the Ealdormoot of Greatvale.  Osbeorn insisted that all royal and noble houses drop claims to the throne of Greatvale and insisted that the throne itself accompany Godwine into the tomb.  Kyrion Halfmage was startled by these demands and replied, “Then who shall be king?” “No one,” was the joint reply. Halfmage agreed to the terms as laid out by Leofric and Osbeorn and left the camp. Within a week’s time, the first of the defenders of Crown’s Keep began to emerge, each dropping their weapons as they descended the slope of the mountain, giving the place the name Spear’s Fall.  After the army was entirely disbanded, Kyrion Halfmage emerged from the keep with four attendants and another man now dressed only in black sackcloth.  As the man walked by, it was clear that this was Godwine III Beorcyning. Many of the soldiers of the combined armies spat on the ground as he walked by. Others shouted curses or hurled mud and dirt.  But no one unsheathed a sword or lowered a spear: Leofric and Osbeorn had been clear in their orders. Joining in the procession was a cart that had come from Folkhame, bearing the throne of the king.  The jeers for the chair were almost as loud as the jeers for Godwine and many of the soldiers offered grass to the oxen bearing the cart as a sign of camaraderie in the service of liberating the land of the king. As they procession left the armies’ combined camp, Osbeorn asked his steward what food they had available to feast with. The steward replied that because they were preparing to break camp, most of the provisions had been stowed; all they had at hand were a few loaves of bread and some dates. Osbeorn replied, “There was never so sweet a feast as the one of bread and dates that we shall share tonight.”  He and Leofric shared this meal with their stewards, whom they insisted join them in the feast, not as servants, but as brothers-in-arms. A special honor guard accompanied the men from the Order of the Sun on their long march to the Royal Crypt, both to protect them from harm and to ensure that they went inside. Once Kyrion and Godwine and their party entered the Tomb, the door was locked from the inside and the guard took position around the entrance.  A peasant girl brought a wreath to lay at the tomb. Reports vary but some claim this was Leafday Sceaphyrd, the youngest daughter of Swithin Sceaphyrd of Oxbridge.  When the soldiers asked her, “You’re not laying that wreath for Godwine, are you?” she replied, “No, for all those who lost their lives because of Godwine.” “Good,” said one soldier, “because that king was insane.” “No,” she replied, “Kingship is insane.” <h3>Establishment of the Folkdeed of Greatvale</h3> Leofric and Osbeorn returned to Folkhame but disbanded the bulk of their armies on the way, telling each man to return to his home, tend his flocks or fields. Only garrison forces were left to safeguard important locations. When Leofric and Osbeorn entered into the chambers of the Ealdormoot, they did so in civilian clothing, shocking the members of the Ealdormoot who had expected to find themselves under the thumb of their new liberators. Leofric had summoned the members of the boroughmoot of Brandwyck, and Osbeorn those of Fiscerehæfen to participate in the session. Each delegation having been instructed to seek to extend the folkdeed across all the lands of Greatvale. Leofric stood before them and said, “My countrymen and women, the people of Greatvale are finally free of tyranny. Do not pick up the broken shards of the past; forge something new.  Now that all the royal and noble houses have quit their claims on the throne, Greatvale truly belongs to her people. You have an opportunity to give them a government worthy of their suffering and sacrifice.” Over the ensuring weeks, the reorganization of Greatvale was deliberated and ultimately decided upon in the fashion it is known today.  Leofric and Osbeorn were elected the first two Rædgivers of the Folkdeed and Frithuswith was elected its first Witeger. The election of three nobles to these important posts at first appeared to undermine the Folkdeed’s assertion of equality, but many understood this as important buy-in by the nobles for the cause of the Folkdeed.  Leofric, Osbeorn, and Frithuswith were also the first to ritually disinherit their sons at the age of seventeen, establishing a custom for those who held the offices of Rædgiver and Witeger, a custom that would eventually also include the Ealdormoot, and finally, all of Greatvale.  Leofric and Osbeorn served out their terms before being succeeded by two commoners.  Leofric and Osbeorn would be elected to Rædgiver again over their careers in public life, but would only serve together for this first two-year period. Frithuswith, despite her frequent criticism of Leofric and Osbeorn in their roles as Rædgivers, would remain close friends with both men the rest of their lives. <h3>Legacy of the Long Campaign</h3> There were those who lamented the length of the war and the cost of life, but others were quick to note that the Long Campaign had given Greatvale sufficient time to let go of its past and to imagine something new.  The Long Campaign had also cemented anti-monarchist sentiment in the population, such that when the Ealdormoot placed the proposed plan before the people, few objected that it lacked a king. Others have noted that had the Folkdeed not been born in such circumstances and placed in the crucible of the Long Campaign, it could never have survived the Catastrophe or the Lost Time that followed. 21cfce8b491c82f51a9fb6f91f33a607e0a7fe29 84 83 2014-03-16T02:48:23Z 108.18.182.51 0 wikitext text/x-wiki The Long Campaign is the name given to the nine-year long civil war that removed the Last King of [[Greatvale]] and established the republic known as the [[Folkdeed of Greatvale]]. ==Background== In the year 120 PC, Archon Zajjasu of Carmadh celebrated the tenth year of his reign with a hunting party.  This hunting party attracted some of the great nobles and leaders of the western Sunrise Lands. Notably absent from the invitation was King Godwine III Beorncyning of Greatvale, though few were surprised by this, as relations between Carmadh and Greatvale were cool at the time. Zajjasu took his hunting party along the western side of the Kiting Mountains, the name by which Carmadh refers to the Westvale Mountains.  Toward the end of the expedition, Zajjasu led his party into the Deepwood, the forest to the south of the Westvale Mountains that marks the boundary between Carmadh and Greatvale. Although at this time the border had never been firmly established between the two realms, the woods were considered something of a “neutral zone” between the kingdoms, available for ordinary use by the people, but off limits for military or commercial use. When Godwine became aware of Zajjasu’s party’s presence in the Deepwood, the slight of his non-invitation became insult.  He declared that Carmadh’s presence in the Deepwood was an affront to all of Greatvale and especially to the honor of his house. To announce his response, he spoke before the Ealdormoot, many of whom were skeptical, but since Godwine merely convened the gathering to declare his intention rather than seek their counsel, their opinions were largely irrelevant. This followed a long pattern of erratic behavior on the part of Godwine and his increasing indifference toward the opinions of the nobles and aristocrats who made up the Ealdormoot. On the first day of [[Lenctenmath]] 118 PC, Godwine led a great host out from Folkhame toward the Deepwood to engage Zajjasu and to secure the Deepwood once and for all as Greatvale territory. On the way west, the army camped outside the town of Oxbridge, near the farm of Swithin Sceaphyrd, a commoner landholder.  During the encampment, the men of Godwine’s host resupplied themselves with the produce of Sceaphyrd’s farm, slaughtered his flocks, and at one point, seized his daughters for the “comfort” of the troops.  Sceaphyrd pleaded to the king for justice for his daughters and restitution for his lost crops and livestock.  The king rejected Sceaphyrd’s plea and sent him away. The king was reported to have said, “The problems of peasants are nothing when the honor of kings is at stake.” Devastated, Sceaphyrd went to the Boroughmoot of Oxbridge and requested their aid.  The Boroughmoot authorized their Ealdorman, Hrothgar of Wildewood, himself a cousin to Godwine, to petition the King for mercy through the Ealdormoot. Ealdor Hrothgar was in Oxbridge at the time and agreed to speak to his cousin for restitution and return of the girls. When Hrothgar appeared before the king, Godwine became so incensed that his judgment was being questioned, by his kin and his subjects, that he had Hrothgar arrested as a traitor and bound in irons.  He then dispatched a legion to raze Oxbridge to the ground as a “town in rebellion.” Swithun Sceaphyrd and his family were all executed as sympathizers to the Carmadh cause, though it is sometimes believed that one of his daughters escaped.  Every member of the Boroughmoot was nailed to the walls of Oxbridge before they were set on fire. ==Leofric’s Rebellion== Leofric of Brandwyck, a Hundredman in Godwine’s army was witness to the razing of Oxbridge as he rode with some of his officers on sentry around the camp.  Having become convinced that the king, after a long history of erratic behavior, had in fact gone mad, he and his officers rode as fast as they could back to Folkhame with news of the destruction of Oxbridge. The Ealdormoot was greatly distressed to hear the news, but opted to take no action—half of the members were either kin or appointees of the king. Many even criticized Leofric for raising the matter during a time of national crisis, a crisis, Leofric noted, that had been started by this same mad king. Leofric took the curious, and at the time, novel action of resigning his commission to the Ealdormoot rather than to the king, saying that his honor as a soldier would not allow him to continue to serve a king who was enemy to his own subjects.  He would not speak on behalf of his officers, but all of them followed suit and resigned before the Ealdormoot. Leofric and his officers rode north headed toward Brandwyck.  En route they were intercepted by a rider who bore a surprising message: a number of the Ealdormen and -women shared Leofric’s concerns about the king and wished to meet with him.  A day later, in a back room at the Fly &amp; Eel Inn, Leofric and his men met with Æthelræd of Whitshollow, Frithuswith of Northmarch, and Hereweald of Eoford. The members of the Ealdormoot told Leofric that they had had some concerns about the king for some time, noting that his edicts had grown more and more erratic and that this entire venture against Carmadh was forced down the Ealdormoot’s throat.  As the conversation went late into the night, the list of the king’s follies and crimes grew longer and longer as the Ealdors shared what they knew.  At each report, Leofric became more and more disturbed and agitated. Finally, Æthelræd stated bluntly, “The king is insane,” to which Leofric famously replied: S<em>e cyning is ne wodseoc; cyningscipe biđ wodseoc</em> - ”The king is not insane; king<em>ship </em>is insane.” He went on to note the injustices perpetrated by practically every king after King Cynric I, even the kings they considered “good”, and noted that it was the entire structure that bred this kind of evil.  Some of his officers shared stories of horrors from neighboring realms.  And every once in a while one of the company would simply utter: “The king is not insane; kingship is insane.” As they paused at one point, simply to reflect on what had been said, Frithuswith sat forward in her chair and asked: “Who is Greatvale for, in the end? The King or the people?” Leofric stood and announced his intention to continue his ride north and there to rally the people to declare a free state independent of the crown. The Ealdors agreed that they would return to Folkhame to try to discern how many of the Ealdormoot would support such action. Leofric rode north to Brandwyck and shared with the Boroughmoot what had taken place in Oxbridge and the other reports of the king’s misdeeds. The Boroughmoot reacted with horror but were reluctant to take action. “What course do we have available to us?” one member reportedly asked. “Shall we set up for ourselves a king in the north against whom some later valiant son will have to rebel?” Leofric replied, “There will be no king in the north, and if the fates are with us, there will be no king in the south. Our task is to create a work of the people, a <em>folkdeed</em>.” The Boroughmoot affirmed the idea and on the 12th day of Blostmath 118 PC, the free and independent Folkdeed of Northvale was declared.  Leofric was offered the post of Lord Protector but declined, arguing that he could better support the new state as a general and pleaded with the Boroughmoot to govern as a council.  In later years, Leofric is reported to have said, “Had I taken the office, even though it have a different title, I would have been a king; and I had seen enough of kingship to know that I was not strong enough a man to resist its corruptions.” Leofric went to the neighboring estates and holdfasts, personally appealing for support. It was said that such was Leofric’s passion, valor, and charm that he often persuaded people within the first minutes of his conversation with them.  Within a month the whole of the Northvale and the Northmarch had allied themselves with the fledgling state in Brandwyck.  Leofric proved an impressive commander and within a few weeks had established defenses for the new realm that were the rival of anything the Kingdom had ever produced. ==The Campaign== ===The King’s March (118-116 PC)=== When King Godwine was told of what had happened in Brandwyck he was outraged.  He quickly broke camp and returned to Folkhame with his entire army, save a couple of legions to guard the frontier, which he still believed was about to be invaded by Carmadh. When he arrived in Folkhame, he disbanded the Ealdormoot and placed many of the members under house arrest. Godwine believed that Brandwyck could never have done what it did without either aid or encouragement from the Ealdormoot and set out to determine who in the council had betrayed him. While the Kingdom of Greatvale had never been anything remotely resembling a participatory democracy, the Ealdormoot had long been a respected advisory body, and helped the nobles to feel involved in the kingdom and giving them a sense of ownership.  Now, those same nobles were being rounded up and imprisoned by the king and his agents.  Æthelræd of Whitshollow was thrown into a dungeon and eventually died under torture.  Frithuswith of Northmarch and Hereweald of Eoford were able to escape Folkhame and were taken north by agents of Leofric. Godwine’s measures in Folkhame were brutal and achieved a measure of success; all dissension was quelled in the capital and when the Ealdormoot was eventually reconvened, it declared all of Godwine’s actions to be legal and necessary in defense of the realm.  They declared the Northvale and Northmarch as territories in rebellion and as traitors deserving of death. Any member of the Ealdormoot who was not in attendance or who would not sign a proxy letter was declared anathema and placed under an order of condemnation. Godwine dismissed Folkhome’s boroughmoot and left a governor in charge of the city. Feeling that the situation in Folkhame had been stabilized, he took his army north into the surrounding countryside to root out rebel sympathizers. There was no method to the king’s effort to root out enemies of the crown.  At times he appeared to select targets on a whim, burning down farms and even entire villages because he <em>knew</em> they had to be part of this rebellion. For two years, Godwine’s army terrorized the central valley on either side of the Great Tidewater. Entreaties by the Ealdormoot to return to Folkhome and take his place on the throne were ignored. In all this time, Godwine made not one attempt to enter the lands that had declared independence.  All of his activity took place on land that was considered to be loyal. Over the course of the King’s March, it is believed that some 30,000 Greatvalers died at the hands of the king’s army. ===The Siege of the North (116-114 PC)=== Having been satisfied that the lands behind him were now free of treason, Godwine set his eyes on the north country.  In Sonnemath of 116, he led his host north along the Great Tidewater toward Brandwyck.  Leofric had by this time erected fortifications all along the ridge line, preserving the high vale territories, on which much grain could be grown, but also the mills of the the upper Tidewater.  Had Godwine marched north immediately, rather than needlessly terrorizing the southern and central countryside, he would have caught the Folkdeed in a much more disadvantaged state. As it was, the king’s host was prevented from moving further up the valley; the fortifications were sufficient to hold Godwine’s advance but not to drive it back completely.  One of the great strengths of the Kingdom of Greatvale is that the entire geography is something of a fortress. The mountain that surround the valley are exceptionally difficult to cross in great numbers and the safe passes are few.  Godwine decided to use this to his advantage.  He decided to lay siege to Northvale and starve them out. He dispatched two legions to secure the passes to the north and northeast of the vale. In one case, he illegally sent troops over foreign soil to block the pass from the back end. Leofric dispatched as many forces as he could to defend the passes from incursion, but knew he did not have enough strength to dislodge the king’s troops and maintain the defenses along his southern fortifications.  The Brandwyck boroughmoot established programs to store food as best as possible. Great storehouses were constructed for grain. A woman named Hilda, widow to Eadmund Fiscere, led a band of people north into the mountains to carve out great chunks of ice and bring them down into the vale by sledge. They placed these large pieces of ice in the ground and built structures over them.  These “Hilda’s Iceboxes” became huge storage centers for fish from Lake Sworetunga  and other perishable produce of the region. Initially, people were asked to sacrifice a meal a day to save on food and then two; by the end of the siege, these conditions would be considered feasting. The winter of 116-115 PC was relatively mild with a late fall and an early spring. Food production was diminished but was still able to provide for the people of Northvale.  The winter of 115-114 PC was brutal and early frosts were hard on fruit trees.  The depth of the ice on Lake Sworetunga made fishing difficult and the yields of fish were much lower that year.  In addition, Godwine sent raiding parties across the frontier to set fire to fields just before harvest, devastating entire communities.  This, in turn, led to the development of the Folkeored, a mounted regiment who could patrol the farmlands and respond quickly to any reports of firing of fields.  The Folkeored was ultimately able to capture or kill most of those who came on raiding parties but not before those parties exacted a heavy toll. ===Rebellion in the South (114 – 113 PC)=== Ultimately, the rescue of the north did not come from Leofric’s armies or the Folkeored, but from the peoples of the south.  The siege on Northvale had had disastrous effects on the economies of the south, especially the trading and merchant fleets of Fralin’s Deep.  By the second century P.C., Greatvale had established itself as a seagoing, mercantile power in the region.  There was a high demand for the quality linen and much of the produce of the northern vale.  Godwine’s siege of the north had prevented any goods from leaving and the commercial interests of the south were suffering the effects.  The southern merchants had petitioned the king repeatedly through the Ealdormoot, but as with everything else, those petitions went unheeded.  As the siege dragged on, rumblings in the south that the king was no longer a protector of the realm but a maniac bent on punishment of those who defied him began to increase.  The horrors of the King’s March were now becoming more and more well-known as reports of the king’s indiscriminate justice began to travel the realm. In Regenmath of 114, the boroughmoot of Fiscerehæfen declared itself independent of the crown even going so far as to declare themselves to be the <em>folkdeed </em>of Fiscerehæfen. Seven other coastal cities followed suit and before long were calling themselves the Folkdeed of Southvale. Town militias and other companies of volunteers were hastily put together and marched north to secure important roads and trade routes. One company marched into Wulfred’s Byland to secure important grain resources. When word of the southern rebellion reached Godwine in the north, he immediately pulled his forces back and marched on Folkhame. His advance was slowed by muddy roads and ironically by the lack of provisions in the central valley due to his harsh campaigning there two years before. By the time Godwine reached Folkhame, the city had lost half its population to flight.  Tens of thousands streamed south into the lands of the Southvale Folkdeed. The governor whom Godwine had placed in charge of Folkhome after disbanding the city’s boroughmoot, ruled with an excessively heavy hand in an effort to quell any dissent. When Godwine got to Folkhame, he found it essentially plundered, as the city’s residents had taken everything of value they could, the most valuable thing being themselves as the city’s workforce.  Godwine executed his governor for incompetence and immediately dispatched his soldiers around the city to shore up the defenses and attain provision. Godwine was still under the impression that his force was the strongest, and in strictly speaking numeric terms this may have been the case. But by this time, after four years of war that had done little to quell the northern rebellion and had succeeded in igniting a southern one, many in the royal army were demoralized.  In fact, so intent had Godwine been on quelling dissent in the broader population, that he had ignored the rising levels of dissatisfaction in his own forces.  In Hærfestmath of 114 PC, Osbeorn Swordsmith, a commander in the royal host, simply marched his legions out of the gates of Folkhame and defected en masse to the southern cause.  Osbeorn was a nobleman of a long-established house that prized honor, and like Leofric before him, decided that his honor would not allow him to serve a king who had become his subjects’ enemy.  According to the reports, took his legions outside the gates, stood before them and announced, “We are marching south to join in the defense of the southern lands from this monster of a king.  Any man who wishes to stay may do so without penalty.” According to those same reports, not a single soldier left.  Many have speculated as to why Osbeorn did not simply command his legions to take control of Folkhame itself and become king. Speculation has long focused on whether Osbeorn had the numbers to accomplish this task and has largely ignored the reality that to someone of Osbeorn’s background, such a betrayal would never have been honorable, whereas riding to the defense of an oppressed population (and one in sore need of experienced military leadership) was honorable.  One apocryphal report states that as they rode south, one of Osbeorn’s captains said to him, “The king truly is insane,” whereupon Osbeorn is said to have replied, “The king is not insane, kingship is insane.” ===The Intervention (113-112 PC)=== The ongoing crisis in Greatvale eventually became one of tremendous concern to the surrounding realms.  Godwine himself had never been popular and initially the rebellion brought comfort to some of the other powers in the region, especially to Zajjasu of Carmadh.  But as the conflict wore on, it became clear that the <em>nature </em>of the rebellion was a bigger threat than Godwine himself had ever been.  Two dissident realms had established themselves in the north and south of Greatvale and neither one had proclaimed a king. In fact, they had both declared themselves to be intentionally free of a king.  Fearing the political instability this might bring about in their own realms, the surrounding powers all sent expeditionary forces into Greatvale to shore up Godwine and help to quell the rebellions. Initially, southern forces were taken aback by the foreign intervention, and heavy losses were suffered in the initial encounters, particularly in Wulfred’s Byland and in the south-east marches below the Eastvale Mountains.  However, Osbeorn led a force into the Byland and met Zajjasu’s forces at the edge of the Deepwood.  Osbeorn’s army routed Zajjasu completely and by the end of the engagement had secured the entirety of the Deepwood under southern control.  Some have speculated that Osbeorn took the Deepwood as an insult to Godwine who had precipitated the entire crisis when he had set out to do so five years earlier. In the north, Leofric sent a host to engage an army attempting to invade through the Upgang Pass. Leofric sent a local militia commander named Weland who had impressed Leofric with his skill.  Weland was also from near the pass and his knowledge of the pass helped him to defeat a force that outnumbered his two-to-one. Leofric himself took a great army and marched south toward Folkhame.  Godwine had foolishly believed that the intervention was turning the tide and so had sent two armies out of Folkhame to retake the south and west vales.  A separate force from Brandwyck intercepted Godwine’s western host and fought a battle there that, while not decisive, did cause the force to retreat back to Folkhame.  A second royalist force traveled along the Tidewater but was constantly harassed by southern forces as they made their way south and were never able to meet up with the interventionist forces as had been hoped.  In fact, the intervention only served to stoke the fires of rebellion among the towns and cities of Greatvale, for now it was clear that Godwine was in league with Greatvale's enemies.  And while most were wise enough to realize that the foreign powers were doing this to advance their own interests, the symbolism of their king fighting alongside foreign forces to oppress his own people was too powerful to ignore and served to galvanize the entire rebellion. On the 10th day of [[Midmath]] 112 PC, Godwine took his remaining forces from Folkhame and marched north to meet Leofric’s host that had been traveling south along the east shore of the Tidewater. ===Campaign’s End (111-110 PC)=== On the 15th day of Regenmath 111 PC, Godwine’s armies engaged Leofric’s host at the north ford of the Tidewater.  In a battle that lasted two days, Leofric defeated Godwine who took his army and fled west to the Westvale Mountains.  Leofric followed in pursuit, stopping only to establish a garrison at Folkhame.  Leofric left strict instruction that no one was to be harmed in the city, that the boroughmoot was to be restored to power and that the provision of the people’s material need should be a priority.  What few members of the Ealdormoot who remained convened at the same time and disavowed all the decrees against Leofric and Osbeorn that they had issued under Godwine’s direction. Leofric continued west in pursuit of Godwine only to encounter another royalist force in the midvale. This force had been the one previously sent west and defeated by another northern army the previous year. This army was utterly destroyed.  Most of the soldiers fled dropping their weapons and casting off what armor they had as they ran.  Those who remained to fight were vastly outmatched by a better led army, and one with a far higher morale.  In fact, many of the residents of the region, remembering the King’s March, joined with Leofric’s forces as the battle raged or served as pickets around the battlefield, capturing fleeing royalist soldiers. In the end, Leofric continued his march west with surprisingly few casualties. At the base of the Heofodbend Mountain, he was joined by the northern host and by Osbeorn’s army, returned from the Deepwood, minus a border garrison. Godwine had entrenched himself up the mountain at the Crown’s Keep and been joined by the remnants of another royalist host that had been sent into the south without success. Leofric and Osbeorn longed for war to be over, but they knew that an assault on the keep would be a disaster and would cost thousands of men.  The forces of north and south began to lay siege on the keep. By Cyrtenmath, the siege was entering its sixth month without an end in sight.  Leofric and Osbeorn’s forces had constructed impressive siege equipment and were in the midst of planning a massive assault to take the keep and end the war once and for all when a strange visitor begged entrance into the camp.  An old man dressed simply in black sackcloth, begged an audience with the generals.  After having the man searched for any weapons, they admitted him into their presence. He identified himself as Kyrion Halfmage of House Akkadon, the royal house of Carmadh, and a member of the Order of the Sun. He offered a solution to the impasse: the gates of the Crown Keep would open and the soldiers of Godwine’s army would be allowed to return to their homes in exchange for an oath of fealty to Leofric and Osbeorn.  Godwine himself would be allowed to live, but would spend his days in the Royal Crypt under the care of the Order of the Sun.  The Order of the Sun would be granted perpetual dominion over the crypt in exchange for the House of Wulfred dropping any claim to the throne of Greatvale. Leofric responded that the soldiers of Godwine’s army must swear oaths of fealty not to them but to the Ealdormoot of Greatvale.  Osbeorn insisted that all royal and noble houses drop claims to the throne of Greatvale and insisted that the throne itself accompany Godwine into the tomb.  Kyrion Halfmage was startled by these demands and replied, “Then who shall be king?” “No one,” was the joint reply. Halfmage agreed to the terms as laid out by Leofric and Osbeorn and left the camp. Within a week’s time, the first of the defenders of Crown’s Keep began to emerge, each dropping their weapons as they descended the slope of the mountain, giving the place the name Spear’s Fall.  After the army was entirely disbanded, Kyrion Halfmage emerged from the keep with four attendants and another man now dressed only in black sackcloth.  As the man walked by, it was clear that this was Godwine III Beorcyning. Many of the soldiers of the combined armies spat on the ground as he walked by. Others shouted curses or hurled mud and dirt.  But no one unsheathed a sword or lowered a spear: Leofric and Osbeorn had been clear in their orders. Joining in the procession was a cart that had come from Folkhame, bearing the throne of the king.  The jeers for the chair were almost as loud as the jeers for Godwine and many of the soldiers offered grass to the oxen bearing the cart as a sign of camaraderie in the service of liberating the land of the king. As they procession left the armies’ combined camp, Osbeorn asked his steward what food they had available to feast with. The steward replied that because they were preparing to break camp, most of the provisions had been stowed; all they had at hand were a few loaves of bread and some dates. Osbeorn replied, “There was never so sweet a feast as the one of bread and dates that we shall share tonight.”  He and Leofric shared this meal with their stewards, whom they insisted join them in the feast, not as servants, but as brothers-in-arms. A special honor guard accompanied the men from the Order of the Sun on their long march to the Royal Crypt, both to protect them from harm and to ensure that they went inside. Once Kyrion and Godwine and their party entered the Tomb, the door was locked from the inside and the guard took position around the entrance.  A peasant girl brought a wreath to lay at the tomb. Reports vary but some claim this was Leafday Sceaphyrd, the youngest daughter of Swithin Sceaphyrd of Oxbridge.  When the soldiers asked her, “You’re not laying that wreath for Godwine, are you?” she replied, “No, for all those who lost their lives because of Godwine.” “Good,” said one soldier, “because that king was insane.” “No,” she replied, “Kingship is insane.” ==Establishment of the Folkdeed of Greatvale== Leofric and Osbeorn returned to Folkhame but disbanded the bulk of their armies on the way, telling each man to return to his home, tend his flocks or fields. Only garrison forces were left to safeguard important locations. When Leofric and Osbeorn entered into the chambers of the Ealdormoot, they did so in civilian clothing, shocking the members of the Ealdormoot who had expected to find themselves under the thumb of their new liberators. Leofric had summoned the members of the boroughmoot of Brandwyck, and Osbeorn those of Fiscerehæfen to participate in the session. Each delegation having been instructed to seek to extend the folkdeed across all the lands of Greatvale. Leofric stood before them and said, “My countrymen and women, the people of Greatvale are finally free of tyranny. Do not pick up the broken shards of the past; forge something new.  Now that all the royal and noble houses have quit their claims on the throne, Greatvale truly belongs to her people. You have an opportunity to give them a government worthy of their suffering and sacrifice.” Over the ensuring weeks, the reorganization of Greatvale was deliberated and ultimately decided upon in the fashion it is known today.  Leofric and Osbeorn were elected the first two Rædgivers of the Folkdeed and Frithuswith was elected its first Witeger. The election of three nobles to these important posts at first appeared to undermine the Folkdeed’s assertion of equality, but many understood this as important buy-in by the nobles for the cause of the Folkdeed.  Leofric, Osbeorn, and Frithuswith were also the first to ritually disinherit their sons at the age of seventeen, establishing a custom for those who held the offices of Rædgiver and Witeger, a custom that would eventually also include the Ealdormoot, and finally, all of Greatvale.  Leofric and Osbeorn served out their terms before being succeeded by two commoners.  Leofric and Osbeorn would be elected to Rædgiver again over their careers in public life, but would only serve together for this first two-year period. Frithuswith, despite her frequent criticism of Leofric and Osbeorn in their roles as Rædgivers, would remain close friends with both men the rest of their lives. ==Legacy of the Long Campaign== There were those who lamented the length of the war and the cost of life, but others were quick to note that the Long Campaign had given Greatvale sufficient time to let go of its past and to imagine something new.  The Long Campaign had also cemented anti-monarchist sentiment in the population, such that when the Ealdormoot placed the proposed plan before the people, few objected that it lacked a king. Others have noted that had the Folkdeed not been born in such circumstances and placed in the crucible of the Long Campaign, it could never have survived the Catastrophe or the Lost Time that followed. 1847c9c406729f8cfd651b54fab46af4d24ba307 93 84 2014-03-16T18:00:02Z Schaef 3364594 wikitext text/x-wiki The Long Campaign is the name given to the nine-year long civil war that removed the Last King of [[Greatvale]] and established the republic known as the [[Folkdeed of Greatvale]]. ==Background== In the year 120 PC, Archon Zajjasu of Carmadh celebrated the tenth year of his reign with a hunting party.  This hunting party attracted some of the great nobles and leaders of the western Sunrise Lands. Notably absent from the invitation was King Godwine III Beorncyning of Greatvale, though few were surprised by this, as relations between Carmadh and Greatvale were cool at the time. Zajjasu took his hunting party along the western side of the Kiting Mountains, the name by which Carmadh refers to the Westvale Mountains.  Toward the end of the expedition, Zajjasu led his party into the Deepwood, the forest to the south of the Westvale Mountains that marks the boundary between Carmadh and Greatvale. Although at this time the border had never been firmly established between the two realms, the woods were considered something of a “neutral zone” between the kingdoms, available for ordinary use by the people, but off limits for military or commercial use. When Godwine became aware of Zajjasu’s party’s presence in the Deepwood, the slight of his non-invitation became insult.  He declared that Carmadh’s presence in the Deepwood was an affront to all of Greatvale and especially to the honor of his house. To announce his response, he spoke before the Ealdormoot, many of whom were skeptical, but since Godwine merely convened the gathering to declare his intention rather than seek their counsel, their opinions were largely irrelevant. This followed a long pattern of erratic behavior on the part of Godwine and his increasing indifference toward the opinions of the nobles and aristocrats who made up the Ealdormoot. On the first day of [[Lenctenmath]] 118 PC, Godwine led a great host out from Folkhame toward the Deepwood to engage Zajjasu and to secure the Deepwood once and for all as Greatvale territory. On the way west, the army camped outside the town of Oxbridge, near the farm of Swithin Sceaphyrd, a commoner landholder.  During the encampment, the men of Godwine’s host resupplied themselves with the produce of Sceaphyrd’s farm, slaughtered his flocks, and at one point, seized his daughters for the “comfort” of the troops.  Sceaphyrd pleaded to the king for justice for his daughters and restitution for his lost crops and livestock.  The king rejected Sceaphyrd’s plea and sent him away. The king was reported to have said, “The problems of peasants are nothing when the honor of kings is at stake.” Devastated, Sceaphyrd went to the Boroughmoot of Oxbridge and requested their aid.  The Boroughmoot authorized their Ealdorman, Hrothgar of Wildewood, himself a cousin to Godwine, to petition the King for mercy through the Ealdormoot. Ealdor Hrothgar was in Oxbridge at the time and agreed to speak to his cousin for restitution and return of the girls. When Hrothgar appeared before the king, Godwine became so incensed that his judgment was being questioned, by his kin and his subjects, that he had Hrothgar arrested as a traitor and bound in irons.  He then dispatched a legion to raze Oxbridge to the ground as a “town in rebellion.” Swithun Sceaphyrd and his family were all executed as sympathizers to the Carmadh cause, though it is sometimes believed that one of his daughters escaped.  Every member of the Boroughmoot was nailed to the walls of Oxbridge before they were set on fire. ==Leofric’s Rebellion== Leofric of Brandwyck, a Hundredman in Godwine’s army was witness to the razing of Oxbridge as he rode with some of his officers on sentry around the camp.  Having become convinced that the king, after a long history of erratic behavior, had in fact gone mad, he and his officers rode as fast as they could back to Folkhame with news of the destruction of Oxbridge. The Ealdormoot was greatly distressed to hear the news, but opted to take no action—half of the members were either kin or appointees of the king. Many even criticized Leofric for raising the matter during a time of national crisis, a crisis, Leofric noted, that had been started by this same mad king. Leofric took the curious, and at the time, novel action of resigning his commission to the Ealdormoot rather than to the king, saying that his honor as a soldier would not allow him to continue to serve a king who was enemy to his own subjects.  He would not speak on behalf of his officers, but all of them followed suit and resigned before the Ealdormoot. Leofric and his officers rode north headed toward Brandwyck.  En route they were intercepted by a rider who bore a surprising message: a number of the Ealdormen and -women shared Leofric’s concerns about the king and wished to meet with him.  A day later, in a back room at the Fly &amp; Eel Inn, Leofric and his men met with Æthelræd of Whitshollow, Frithuswith of Northmarch, and Hereweald of Eoford. The members of the Ealdormoot told Leofric that they had had some concerns about the king for some time, noting that his edicts had grown more and more erratic and that this entire venture against Carmadh was forced down the Ealdormoot’s throat.  As the conversation went late into the night, the list of the king’s follies and crimes grew longer and longer as the Ealdors shared what they knew.  At each report, Leofric became more and more disturbed and agitated. Finally, Æthelræd stated bluntly, “The king is insane,” to which Leofric famously replied: S<em>e cyning is ne wodseoc; cyningscipe biđ wodseoc</em> - ”The king is not insane; king<em>ship </em>is insane.” He went on to note the injustices perpetrated by practically every king after King Cynric I, even the kings they considered “good”, and noted that it was the entire structure that bred this kind of evil.  Some of his officers shared stories of horrors from neighboring realms.  And every once in a while one of the company would simply utter: “The king is not insane; kingship is insane.” As they paused at one point, simply to reflect on what had been said, Frithuswith sat forward in her chair and asked: “Who is Greatvale for, in the end? The King or the people?” Leofric stood and announced his intention to continue his ride north and there to rally the people to declare a free state independent of the crown. The Ealdors agreed that they would return to Folkhame to try to discern how many of the Ealdormoot would support such action. Leofric rode north to Brandwyck and shared with the Boroughmoot what had taken place in Oxbridge and the other reports of the king’s misdeeds. The Boroughmoot reacted with horror but were reluctant to take action. “What course do we have available to us?” one member reportedly asked. “Shall we set up for ourselves a king in the north against whom some later valiant son will have to rebel?” Leofric replied, “There will be no king in the north, and if the fates are with us, there will be no king in the south. Our task is to create a work of the people, a <em>folkdeed</em>.” The Boroughmoot affirmed the idea and on the 12th day of Blostmath 118 PC, the free and independent Folkdeed of Northvale was declared.  Leofric was offered the post of Lord Protector but declined, arguing that he could better support the new state as a general and pleaded with the Boroughmoot to govern as a council.  In later years, Leofric is reported to have said, “Had I taken the office, even though it have a different title, I would have been a king; and I had seen enough of kingship to know that I was not strong enough a man to resist its corruptions.” Leofric went to the neighboring estates and holdfasts, personally appealing for support. It was said that such was Leofric’s passion, valor, and charm that he often persuaded people within the first minutes of his conversation with them.  Within a month the whole of the Northvale and the Northmarch had allied themselves with the fledgling state in Brandwyck.  Leofric proved an impressive commander and within a few weeks had established defenses for the new realm that were the rival of anything the Kingdom had ever produced. ==The Campaign== ===The King’s March (118-116 PC)=== When King Godwine was told of what had happened in Brandwyck he was outraged.  He quickly broke camp and returned to Folkhame with his entire army, save a couple of legions to guard the frontier, which he still believed was about to be invaded by Carmadh. When he arrived in Folkhame, he disbanded the Ealdormoot and placed many of the members under house arrest. Godwine believed that Brandwyck could never have done what it did without either aid or encouragement from the Ealdormoot and set out to determine who in the council had betrayed him. While the Kingdom of Greatvale had never been anything remotely resembling a participatory democracy, the Ealdormoot had long been a respected advisory body, and helped the nobles to feel involved in the kingdom and giving them a sense of ownership.  Now, those same nobles were being rounded up and imprisoned by the king and his agents.  Æthelræd of Whitshollow was thrown into a dungeon and eventually died under torture.  Frithuswith of Northmarch and Hereweald of Eoford were able to escape Folkhame and were taken north by agents of Leofric. Godwine’s measures in Folkhame were brutal and achieved a measure of success; all dissension was quelled in the capital and when the Ealdormoot was eventually reconvened, it declared all of Godwine’s actions to be legal and necessary in defense of the realm.  They declared the Northvale and Northmarch as territories in rebellion and as traitors deserving of death. Any member of the Ealdormoot who was not in attendance or who would not sign a proxy letter was declared anathema and placed under an order of condemnation. Godwine dismissed Folkhome’s boroughmoot and left a governor in charge of the city. Feeling that the situation in Folkhame had been stabilized, he took his army north into the surrounding countryside to root out rebel sympathizers. There was no method to the king’s effort to root out enemies of the crown.  At times he appeared to select targets on a whim, burning down farms and even entire villages because he <em>knew</em> they had to be part of this rebellion. For two years, Godwine’s army terrorized the central valley on either side of the Great Tidewater. Entreaties by the Ealdormoot to return to Folkhome and take his place on the throne were ignored. In all this time, Godwine made not one attempt to enter the lands that had declared independence.  All of his activity took place on land that was considered to be loyal. Over the course of the King’s March, it is believed that some 30,000 Greatvalers died at the hands of the king’s army. ===The Siege of the North (116-114 PC)=== Having been satisfied that the lands behind him were now free of treason, Godwine set his eyes on the north country.  In Sonnemath of 116, he led his host north along the Great Tidewater toward Brandwyck.  Leofric had by this time erected fortifications all along the ridge line, preserving the high vale territories, on which much grain could be grown, but also the mills of the the upper Tidewater.  Had Godwine marched north immediately, rather than needlessly terrorizing the southern and central countryside, he would have caught the Folkdeed in a much more disadvantaged state. As it was, the king’s host was prevented from moving further up the valley; the fortifications were sufficient to hold Godwine’s advance but not to drive it back completely.  One of the great strengths of the Kingdom of Greatvale is that the entire geography is something of a fortress. The mountain that surround the valley are exceptionally difficult to cross in great numbers and the safe passes are few.  Godwine decided to use this to his advantage.  He decided to lay siege to Northvale and starve them out. He dispatched two legions to secure the passes to the north and northeast of the vale. In one case, he illegally sent troops over foreign soil to block the pass from the back end. Leofric dispatched as many forces as he could to defend the passes from incursion, but knew he did not have enough strength to dislodge the king’s troops and maintain the defenses along his southern fortifications.  The Brandwyck boroughmoot established programs to store food as best as possible. Great storehouses were constructed for grain. A woman named Hilda, widow to Eadmund Fiscere, led a band of people north into the mountains to carve out great chunks of ice and bring them down into the vale by sledge. They placed these large pieces of ice in the ground and built structures over them.  These “Hilda’s Iceboxes” became huge storage centers for fish from Lake Sworetunga  and other perishable produce of the region. Initially, people were asked to sacrifice a meal a day to save on food and then two; by the end of the siege, these conditions would be considered feasting. The winter of 116-115 PC was relatively mild with a late fall and an early spring. Food production was diminished but was still able to provide for the people of Northvale.  The winter of 115-114 PC was brutal and early frosts were hard on fruit trees.  The depth of the ice on Lake Sworetunga made fishing difficult and the yields of fish were much lower that year.  In addition, Godwine sent raiding parties across the frontier to set fire to fields just before harvest, devastating entire communities.  This, in turn, led to the development of the Folkeored, a mounted regiment who could patrol the farmlands and respond quickly to any reports of firing of fields.  The Folkeored was ultimately able to capture or kill most of those who came on raiding parties but not before those parties exacted a heavy toll. ===Rebellion in the South (114 – 113 PC)=== Ultimately, the rescue of the north did not come from Leofric’s armies or the Folkeored, but from the peoples of the south.  The siege on Northvale had had disastrous effects on the economies of the south, especially the trading and merchant fleets of Fralin’s Deep.  By the second century P.C., Greatvale had established itself as a seagoing, mercantile power in the region.  There was a high demand for the quality linen and much of the produce of the northern vale.  Godwine’s siege of the north had prevented any goods from leaving and the commercial interests of the south were suffering the effects.  The southern merchants had petitioned the king repeatedly through the Ealdormoot, but as with everything else, those petitions went unheeded.  As the siege dragged on, rumblings in the south that the king was no longer a protector of the realm but a maniac bent on punishment of those who defied him began to increase.  The horrors of the King’s March were now becoming more and more well-known as reports of the king’s indiscriminate justice began to travel the realm. In Regenmath of 114, the boroughmoot of Fiscerehæfen declared itself independent of the crown even going so far as to declare themselves to be the <em>folkdeed </em>of Fiscerehæfen. Seven other coastal cities followed suit and before long were calling themselves the Folkdeed of Southvale. Town militias and other companies of volunteers were hastily put together and marched north to secure important roads and trade routes. One company marched into Wulfred’s Byland to secure important grain resources. When word of the southern rebellion reached Godwine in the north, he immediately pulled his forces back and marched on Folkhame. His advance was slowed by muddy roads and ironically by the lack of provisions in the central valley due to his harsh campaigning there two years before. By the time Godwine reached Folkhame, the city had lost half its population to flight.  Tens of thousands streamed south into the lands of the Southvale Folkdeed. The governor whom Godwine had placed in charge of Folkhome after disbanding the city’s boroughmoot, ruled with an excessively heavy hand in an effort to quell any dissent. When Godwine got to Folkhame, he found it essentially plundered, as the city’s residents had taken everything of value they could, the most valuable thing being themselves as the city’s workforce.  Godwine executed his governor for incompetence and immediately dispatched his soldiers around the city to shore up the defenses and attain provision. Godwine was still under the impression that his force was the strongest, and in strictly speaking numeric terms this may have been the case. But by this time, after four years of war that had done little to quell the northern rebellion and had succeeded in igniting a southern one, many in the royal army were demoralized.  In fact, so intent had Godwine been on quelling dissent in the broader population, that he had ignored the rising levels of dissatisfaction in his own forces.  In Hærfestmath of 114 PC, Osbeorn Swordsmith, a commander in the royal host, simply marched his legions out of the gates of Folkhame and defected en masse to the southern cause.  Osbeorn was a nobleman of a long-established house that prized honor, and like Leofric before him, decided that his honor would not allow him to serve a king who had become his subjects’ enemy.  According to the reports, took his legions outside the gates, stood before them and announced, “We are marching south to join in the defense of the southern lands from this monster of a king.  Any man who wishes to stay may do so without penalty.” According to those same reports, not a single soldier left.  Many have speculated as to why Osbeorn did not simply command his legions to take control of Folkhame itself and become king. Speculation has long focused on whether Osbeorn had the numbers to accomplish this task and has largely ignored the reality that to someone of Osbeorn’s background, such a betrayal would never have been honorable, whereas riding to the defense of an oppressed population (and one in sore need of experienced military leadership) was honorable.  One apocryphal report states that as they rode south, one of Osbeorn’s captains said to him, “The king truly is insane,” whereupon Osbeorn is said to have replied, “The king is not insane, kingship is insane.” ===The Intervention (113-112 PC)=== The ongoing crisis in Greatvale eventually became one of tremendous concern to the surrounding realms.  Godwine himself had never been popular and initially the rebellion brought comfort to some of the other powers in the region, especially to Zajjasu of Carmadh.  But as the conflict wore on, it became clear that the <em>nature </em>of the rebellion was a bigger threat than Godwine himself had ever been.  Two dissident realms had established themselves in the north and south of Greatvale and neither one had proclaimed a king. In fact, they had both declared themselves to be intentionally free of a king.  Fearing the political instability this might bring about in their own realms, the surrounding powers all sent expeditionary forces into Greatvale to shore up Godwine and help to quell the rebellions. Initially, southern forces were taken aback by the foreign intervention, and heavy losses were suffered in the initial encounters, particularly in Wulfred’s Byland and in the south-east marches below the Eastvale Mountains.  However, Osbeorn led a force into the Byland and met Zajjasu’s forces at the edge of the Deepwood.  Osbeorn’s army routed Zajjasu completely and by the end of the engagement had secured the entirety of the Deepwood under southern control.  Some have speculated that Osbeorn took the Deepwood as an insult to Godwine who had precipitated the entire crisis when he had set out to do so five years earlier. In the north, Leofric sent a host to engage an army attempting to invade through the Upgang Pass. Leofric sent a local militia commander named Weland who had impressed Leofric with his skill.  Weland was also from near the pass and his knowledge of the pass helped him to defeat a force that outnumbered his two-to-one. Leofric himself took a great army and marched south toward Folkhame.  Godwine had foolishly believed that the intervention was turning the tide and so had sent two armies out of Folkhame to retake the south and west vales.  A separate force from Brandwyck intercepted Godwine’s western host and fought a battle there that, while not decisive, did cause the force to retreat back to Folkhame.  A second royalist force traveled along the Tidewater but was constantly harassed by southern forces as they made their way south and were never able to meet up with the interventionist forces as had been hoped.  In fact, the intervention only served to stoke the fires of rebellion among the towns and cities of Greatvale, for now it was clear that Godwine was in league with Greatvale's enemies.  And while most were wise enough to realize that the foreign powers were doing this to advance their own interests, the symbolism of their king fighting alongside foreign forces to oppress his own people was too powerful to ignore and served to galvanize the entire rebellion. On the 10th day of [[Midmath]] 112 PC, Godwine took his remaining forces from Folkhame and marched north to meet Leofric’s host that had been traveling south along the east shore of the Tidewater. ===Campaign’s End (111-110 PC)=== On the 15th day of Regenmath 111 PC, Godwine’s armies engaged Leofric’s host at the north ford of the Tidewater.  In a battle that lasted two days, Leofric defeated Godwine who took his army and fled west to the Westvale Mountains.  Leofric followed in pursuit, stopping only to establish a garrison at Folkhame.  Leofric left strict instruction that no one was to be harmed in the city, that the boroughmoot was to be restored to power and that the provision of the people’s material need should be a priority.  What few members of the Ealdormoot who remained convened at the same time and disavowed all the decrees against Leofric and Osbeorn that they had issued under Godwine’s direction. Leofric continued west in pursuit of Godwine only to encounter another royalist force in the midvale. This force had been the one previously sent west and defeated by another northern army the previous year. This army was utterly destroyed.  Most of the soldiers fled dropping their weapons and casting off what armor they had as they ran.  Those who remained to fight were vastly outmatched by a better led army, and one with a far higher morale.  In fact, many of the residents of the region, remembering the King’s March, joined with Leofric’s forces as the battle raged or served as pickets around the battlefield, capturing fleeing royalist soldiers. In the end, Leofric continued his march west with surprisingly few casualties. At the base of the Heofodbend Mountain, he was joined by the northern host and by Osbeorn’s army, returned from the Deepwood, minus a border garrison. Godwine had entrenched himself up the mountain at the Crown’s Keep and been joined by the remnants of another royalist host that had been sent into the south without success. Leofric and Osbeorn longed for war to be over, but they knew that an assault on the keep would be a disaster and would cost thousands of men.  The forces of north and south began to lay siege on the keep. By Cyrtenmath, the siege was entering its sixth month without an end in sight.  Leofric and Osbeorn’s forces had constructed impressive siege equipment and were in the midst of planning a massive assault to take the keep and end the war once and for all when a strange visitor begged entrance into the camp.  An old man dressed simply in black sackcloth, begged an audience with the generals.  After having the man searched for any weapons, they admitted him into their presence. He identified himself as Kyrion Halfmage of House Akkadon, the royal house of Carmadh, and a member of the Order of the Sun. He offered a solution to the impasse: the gates of the Crown Keep would open and the soldiers of Godwine’s army would be allowed to return to their homes in exchange for an oath of fealty to Leofric and Osbeorn.  Godwine himself would be allowed to live, but would spend his days in the Royal Crypt under the care of the Order of the Sun.  The Order of the Sun would be granted perpetual dominion over the crypt in exchange for the House of Wulfred dropping any claim to the throne of Greatvale. Leofric responded that the soldiers of Godwine’s army must swear oaths of fealty not to them but to the Ealdormoot of Greatvale.  Osbeorn insisted that all royal and noble houses drop claims to the throne of Greatvale and insisted that the throne itself accompany Godwine into the tomb.  Kyrion Halfmage was startled by these demands and replied, “Then who shall be king?” “No one,” was the joint reply. Halfmage agreed to the terms as laid out by Leofric and Osbeorn and left the camp. Within a week’s time, the first of the defenders of Crown’s Keep began to emerge, each dropping their weapons as they descended the slope of the mountain, giving the place the name Spear’s Fall.  After the army was entirely disbanded, Kyrion Halfmage emerged from the keep with four attendants and another man now dressed only in black sackcloth.  As the man walked by, it was clear that this was Godwine III Beorcyning. Many of the soldiers of the combined armies spat on the ground as he walked by. Others shouted curses or hurled mud and dirt.  But no one unsheathed a sword or lowered a spear: Leofric and Osbeorn had been clear in their orders. Joining in the procession was a cart that had come from Folkhame, bearing the throne of the king.  The jeers for the chair were almost as loud as the jeers for Godwine and many of the soldiers offered grass to the oxen bearing the cart as a sign of camaraderie in the service of liberating the land of the king. As they procession left the armies’ combined camp, Osbeorn asked his steward what food they had available to feast with. The steward replied that because they were preparing to break camp, most of the provisions had been stowed; all they had at hand were a few loaves of bread and some dates. Osbeorn replied, “There was never so sweet a feast as the one of bread and dates that we shall share tonight.”  He and Leofric shared this meal with their stewards, whom they insisted join them in the feast, not as servants, but as brothers-in-arms. A special honor guard accompanied the men from the Order of the Sun on their long march to the Royal Crypt, both to protect them from harm and to ensure that they went inside. Once Kyrion and Godwine and their party entered the Tomb, the door was locked from the inside and the guard took position around the entrance.  A peasant girl brought a wreath to lay at the tomb. Reports vary but some claim this was Leafday Sceaphyrd, the youngest daughter of Swithin Sceaphyrd of Oxbridge.  When the soldiers asked her, “You’re not laying that wreath for Godwine, are you?” she replied, “No, for all those who lost their lives because of Godwine.” “Good,” said one soldier, “because that king was insane.” “No,” she replied, “Kingship is insane.” ==Establishment of the Folkdeed of Greatvale== Leofric and Osbeorn returned to Folkhame but disbanded the bulk of their armies on the way, telling each man to return to his home, tend his flocks or fields. Only garrison forces were left to safeguard important locations. When Leofric and Osbeorn entered into the chambers of the Ealdormoot, they did so in civilian clothing, shocking the members of the Ealdormoot who had expected to find themselves under the thumb of their new liberators. Leofric had summoned the members of the boroughmoot of Brandwyck, and Osbeorn those of Fiscerehæfen to participate in the session. Each delegation having been instructed to seek to extend the folkdeed across all the lands of Greatvale. Leofric stood before them and said, “My countrymen and women, the people of Greatvale are finally free of tyranny. Do not pick up the broken shards of the past; forge something new.  Now that all the royal and noble houses have quit their claims on the throne, Greatvale truly belongs to her people. You have an opportunity to give them a government worthy of their suffering and sacrifice.” Over the ensuring weeks, the reorganization of Greatvale was deliberated and ultimately decided upon in the fashion it is known today.  Leofric and Osbeorn were elected the first two Rædgivers of the Folkdeed and Frithuswith was elected its first Witeger. The election of three nobles to these important posts at first appeared to undermine the Folkdeed’s assertion of equality, but many understood this as important buy-in by the nobles for the cause of the Folkdeed.  Leofric, Osbeorn, and Frithuswith were also the first to ritually disinherit their sons at the age of seventeen, establishing a custom for those who held the offices of Rædgiver and Witeger, a custom that would eventually also include the Ealdormoot, and finally, all of Greatvale.  Leofric and Osbeorn served out their terms before being succeeded by two commoners.  Leofric and Osbeorn would be elected to Rædgiver again over their careers in public life, but would only serve together for this first two-year period. Frithuswith, despite her frequent criticism of Leofric and Osbeorn in their roles as Rædgivers, would remain close friends with both men the rest of their lives. ==Legacy of the Long Campaign== There were those who lamented the length of the war and the cost of life, but others were quick to note that the Long Campaign had given Greatvale sufficient time to let go of its past and to imagine something new.  The Long Campaign had also cemented anti-monarchist sentiment in the population, such that when the Ealdormoot placed the proposed plan before the people, few objected that it lacked a king. Others have noted that had the Folkdeed not been born in such circumstances and placed in the crucible of the Long Campaign, it could never have survived the Catastrophe or the Lost Time that followed. [[Category:Events]] 942019b0be8fe469fa392eecb04a28e2dbd47af0 117 93 2014-03-16T18:33:51Z Schaef 3364594 /* The King’s March (118-116 PC) */ wikitext text/x-wiki The Long Campaign is the name given to the nine-year long civil war that removed the Last King of [[Greatvale]] and established the republic known as the [[Folkdeed of Greatvale]]. ==Background== In the year 120 PC, Archon Zajjasu of Carmadh celebrated the tenth year of his reign with a hunting party.  This hunting party attracted some of the great nobles and leaders of the western Sunrise Lands. Notably absent from the invitation was King Godwine III Beorncyning of Greatvale, though few were surprised by this, as relations between Carmadh and Greatvale were cool at the time. Zajjasu took his hunting party along the western side of the Kiting Mountains, the name by which Carmadh refers to the Westvale Mountains.  Toward the end of the expedition, Zajjasu led his party into the Deepwood, the forest to the south of the Westvale Mountains that marks the boundary between Carmadh and Greatvale. Although at this time the border had never been firmly established between the two realms, the woods were considered something of a “neutral zone” between the kingdoms, available for ordinary use by the people, but off limits for military or commercial use. When Godwine became aware of Zajjasu’s party’s presence in the Deepwood, the slight of his non-invitation became insult.  He declared that Carmadh’s presence in the Deepwood was an affront to all of Greatvale and especially to the honor of his house. To announce his response, he spoke before the Ealdormoot, many of whom were skeptical, but since Godwine merely convened the gathering to declare his intention rather than seek their counsel, their opinions were largely irrelevant. This followed a long pattern of erratic behavior on the part of Godwine and his increasing indifference toward the opinions of the nobles and aristocrats who made up the Ealdormoot. On the first day of [[Lenctenmath]] 118 PC, Godwine led a great host out from Folkhame toward the Deepwood to engage Zajjasu and to secure the Deepwood once and for all as Greatvale territory. On the way west, the army camped outside the town of Oxbridge, near the farm of Swithin Sceaphyrd, a commoner landholder.  During the encampment, the men of Godwine’s host resupplied themselves with the produce of Sceaphyrd’s farm, slaughtered his flocks, and at one point, seized his daughters for the “comfort” of the troops.  Sceaphyrd pleaded to the king for justice for his daughters and restitution for his lost crops and livestock.  The king rejected Sceaphyrd’s plea and sent him away. The king was reported to have said, “The problems of peasants are nothing when the honor of kings is at stake.” Devastated, Sceaphyrd went to the Boroughmoot of Oxbridge and requested their aid.  The Boroughmoot authorized their Ealdorman, Hrothgar of Wildewood, himself a cousin to Godwine, to petition the King for mercy through the Ealdormoot. Ealdor Hrothgar was in Oxbridge at the time and agreed to speak to his cousin for restitution and return of the girls. When Hrothgar appeared before the king, Godwine became so incensed that his judgment was being questioned, by his kin and his subjects, that he had Hrothgar arrested as a traitor and bound in irons.  He then dispatched a legion to raze Oxbridge to the ground as a “town in rebellion.” Swithun Sceaphyrd and his family were all executed as sympathizers to the Carmadh cause, though it is sometimes believed that one of his daughters escaped.  Every member of the Boroughmoot was nailed to the walls of Oxbridge before they were set on fire. ==Leofric’s Rebellion== Leofric of Brandwyck, a Hundredman in Godwine’s army was witness to the razing of Oxbridge as he rode with some of his officers on sentry around the camp.  Having become convinced that the king, after a long history of erratic behavior, had in fact gone mad, he and his officers rode as fast as they could back to Folkhame with news of the destruction of Oxbridge. The Ealdormoot was greatly distressed to hear the news, but opted to take no action—half of the members were either kin or appointees of the king. Many even criticized Leofric for raising the matter during a time of national crisis, a crisis, Leofric noted, that had been started by this same mad king. Leofric took the curious, and at the time, novel action of resigning his commission to the Ealdormoot rather than to the king, saying that his honor as a soldier would not allow him to continue to serve a king who was enemy to his own subjects.  He would not speak on behalf of his officers, but all of them followed suit and resigned before the Ealdormoot. Leofric and his officers rode north headed toward Brandwyck.  En route they were intercepted by a rider who bore a surprising message: a number of the Ealdormen and -women shared Leofric’s concerns about the king and wished to meet with him.  A day later, in a back room at the Fly &amp; Eel Inn, Leofric and his men met with Æthelræd of Whitshollow, Frithuswith of Northmarch, and Hereweald of Eoford. The members of the Ealdormoot told Leofric that they had had some concerns about the king for some time, noting that his edicts had grown more and more erratic and that this entire venture against Carmadh was forced down the Ealdormoot’s throat.  As the conversation went late into the night, the list of the king’s follies and crimes grew longer and longer as the Ealdors shared what they knew.  At each report, Leofric became more and more disturbed and agitated. Finally, Æthelræd stated bluntly, “The king is insane,” to which Leofric famously replied: S<em>e cyning is ne wodseoc; cyningscipe biđ wodseoc</em> - ”The king is not insane; king<em>ship </em>is insane.” He went on to note the injustices perpetrated by practically every king after King Cynric I, even the kings they considered “good”, and noted that it was the entire structure that bred this kind of evil.  Some of his officers shared stories of horrors from neighboring realms.  And every once in a while one of the company would simply utter: “The king is not insane; kingship is insane.” As they paused at one point, simply to reflect on what had been said, Frithuswith sat forward in her chair and asked: “Who is Greatvale for, in the end? The King or the people?” Leofric stood and announced his intention to continue his ride north and there to rally the people to declare a free state independent of the crown. The Ealdors agreed that they would return to Folkhame to try to discern how many of the Ealdormoot would support such action. Leofric rode north to Brandwyck and shared with the Boroughmoot what had taken place in Oxbridge and the other reports of the king’s misdeeds. The Boroughmoot reacted with horror but were reluctant to take action. “What course do we have available to us?” one member reportedly asked. “Shall we set up for ourselves a king in the north against whom some later valiant son will have to rebel?” Leofric replied, “There will be no king in the north, and if the fates are with us, there will be no king in the south. Our task is to create a work of the people, a <em>folkdeed</em>.” The Boroughmoot affirmed the idea and on the 12th day of Blostmath 118 PC, the free and independent Folkdeed of Northvale was declared.  Leofric was offered the post of Lord Protector but declined, arguing that he could better support the new state as a general and pleaded with the Boroughmoot to govern as a council.  In later years, Leofric is reported to have said, “Had I taken the office, even though it have a different title, I would have been a king; and I had seen enough of kingship to know that I was not strong enough a man to resist its corruptions.” Leofric went to the neighboring estates and holdfasts, personally appealing for support. It was said that such was Leofric’s passion, valor, and charm that he often persuaded people within the first minutes of his conversation with them.  Within a month the whole of the Northvale and the Northmarch had allied themselves with the fledgling state in Brandwyck.  Leofric proved an impressive commander and within a few weeks had established defenses for the new realm that were the rival of anything the Kingdom had ever produced. ==The Campaign== ===The King’s March (118-116 PC)=== When King Godwine was told of what had happened in Brandwyck he was outraged.  He quickly broke camp and returned to Folkhame with his entire army, save a couple of legions to guard the frontier, which he still believed was about to be invaded by Carmadh. When he arrived in Folkhame, he disbanded the Ealdormoot and placed many of the members under house arrest. Godwine believed that Brandwyck could never have done what it did without either aid or encouragement from the Ealdormoot and set out to determine who in the council had betrayed him. [[File:lc.png|200px|thumb|left|The King's March]] While the Kingdom of Greatvale had never been anything remotely resembling a participatory democracy, the Ealdormoot had long been a respected advisory body, and helped the nobles to feel involved in the kingdom and giving them a sense of ownership.  Now, those same nobles were being rounded up and imprisoned by the king and his agents.  Æthelræd of Whitshollow was thrown into a dungeon and eventually died under torture.  Frithuswith of Northmarch and Hereweald of Eoford were able to escape Folkhame and were taken north by agents of Leofric. Godwine’s measures in Folkhame were brutal and achieved a measure of success; all dissension was quelled in the capital and when the Ealdormoot was eventually reconvened, it declared all of Godwine’s actions to be legal and necessary in defense of the realm.  They declared the Northvale and Northmarch as territories in rebellion and as traitors deserving of death. Any member of the Ealdormoot who was not in attendance or who would not sign a proxy letter was declared anathema and placed under an order of condemnation. Godwine dismissed Folkhome’s boroughmoot and left a governor in charge of the city. Feeling that the situation in Folkhame had been stabilized, he took his army north into the surrounding countryside to root out rebel sympathizers. There was no method to the king’s effort to root out enemies of the crown.  At times he appeared to select targets on a whim, burning down farms and even entire villages because he <em>knew</em> they had to be part of this rebellion. For two years, Godwine’s army terrorized the central valley on either side of the Great Tidewater. Entreaties by the Ealdormoot to return to Folkhome and take his place on the throne were ignored. In all this time, Godwine made not one attempt to enter the lands that had declared independence.  All of his activity took place on land that was considered to be loyal. Over the course of the King’s March, it is believed that some 30,000 Greatvalers died at the hands of the king’s army. ===The Siege of the North (116-114 PC)=== Having been satisfied that the lands behind him were now free of treason, Godwine set his eyes on the north country.  In Sonnemath of 116, he led his host north along the Great Tidewater toward Brandwyck.  Leofric had by this time erected fortifications all along the ridge line, preserving the high vale territories, on which much grain could be grown, but also the mills of the the upper Tidewater.  Had Godwine marched north immediately, rather than needlessly terrorizing the southern and central countryside, he would have caught the Folkdeed in a much more disadvantaged state. As it was, the king’s host was prevented from moving further up the valley; the fortifications were sufficient to hold Godwine’s advance but not to drive it back completely.  One of the great strengths of the Kingdom of Greatvale is that the entire geography is something of a fortress. The mountain that surround the valley are exceptionally difficult to cross in great numbers and the safe passes are few.  Godwine decided to use this to his advantage.  He decided to lay siege to Northvale and starve them out. He dispatched two legions to secure the passes to the north and northeast of the vale. In one case, he illegally sent troops over foreign soil to block the pass from the back end. Leofric dispatched as many forces as he could to defend the passes from incursion, but knew he did not have enough strength to dislodge the king’s troops and maintain the defenses along his southern fortifications.  The Brandwyck boroughmoot established programs to store food as best as possible. Great storehouses were constructed for grain. A woman named Hilda, widow to Eadmund Fiscere, led a band of people north into the mountains to carve out great chunks of ice and bring them down into the vale by sledge. They placed these large pieces of ice in the ground and built structures over them.  These “Hilda’s Iceboxes” became huge storage centers for fish from Lake Sworetunga  and other perishable produce of the region. Initially, people were asked to sacrifice a meal a day to save on food and then two; by the end of the siege, these conditions would be considered feasting. The winter of 116-115 PC was relatively mild with a late fall and an early spring. Food production was diminished but was still able to provide for the people of Northvale.  The winter of 115-114 PC was brutal and early frosts were hard on fruit trees.  The depth of the ice on Lake Sworetunga made fishing difficult and the yields of fish were much lower that year.  In addition, Godwine sent raiding parties across the frontier to set fire to fields just before harvest, devastating entire communities.  This, in turn, led to the development of the Folkeored, a mounted regiment who could patrol the farmlands and respond quickly to any reports of firing of fields.  The Folkeored was ultimately able to capture or kill most of those who came on raiding parties but not before those parties exacted a heavy toll. ===Rebellion in the South (114 – 113 PC)=== Ultimately, the rescue of the north did not come from Leofric’s armies or the Folkeored, but from the peoples of the south.  The siege on Northvale had had disastrous effects on the economies of the south, especially the trading and merchant fleets of Fralin’s Deep.  By the second century P.C., Greatvale had established itself as a seagoing, mercantile power in the region.  There was a high demand for the quality linen and much of the produce of the northern vale.  Godwine’s siege of the north had prevented any goods from leaving and the commercial interests of the south were suffering the effects.  The southern merchants had petitioned the king repeatedly through the Ealdormoot, but as with everything else, those petitions went unheeded.  As the siege dragged on, rumblings in the south that the king was no longer a protector of the realm but a maniac bent on punishment of those who defied him began to increase.  The horrors of the King’s March were now becoming more and more well-known as reports of the king’s indiscriminate justice began to travel the realm. In Regenmath of 114, the boroughmoot of Fiscerehæfen declared itself independent of the crown even going so far as to declare themselves to be the <em>folkdeed </em>of Fiscerehæfen. Seven other coastal cities followed suit and before long were calling themselves the Folkdeed of Southvale. Town militias and other companies of volunteers were hastily put together and marched north to secure important roads and trade routes. One company marched into Wulfred’s Byland to secure important grain resources. When word of the southern rebellion reached Godwine in the north, he immediately pulled his forces back and marched on Folkhame. His advance was slowed by muddy roads and ironically by the lack of provisions in the central valley due to his harsh campaigning there two years before. By the time Godwine reached Folkhame, the city had lost half its population to flight.  Tens of thousands streamed south into the lands of the Southvale Folkdeed. The governor whom Godwine had placed in charge of Folkhome after disbanding the city’s boroughmoot, ruled with an excessively heavy hand in an effort to quell any dissent. When Godwine got to Folkhame, he found it essentially plundered, as the city’s residents had taken everything of value they could, the most valuable thing being themselves as the city’s workforce.  Godwine executed his governor for incompetence and immediately dispatched his soldiers around the city to shore up the defenses and attain provision. Godwine was still under the impression that his force was the strongest, and in strictly speaking numeric terms this may have been the case. But by this time, after four years of war that had done little to quell the northern rebellion and had succeeded in igniting a southern one, many in the royal army were demoralized.  In fact, so intent had Godwine been on quelling dissent in the broader population, that he had ignored the rising levels of dissatisfaction in his own forces.  In Hærfestmath of 114 PC, Osbeorn Swordsmith, a commander in the royal host, simply marched his legions out of the gates of Folkhame and defected en masse to the southern cause.  Osbeorn was a nobleman of a long-established house that prized honor, and like Leofric before him, decided that his honor would not allow him to serve a king who had become his subjects’ enemy.  According to the reports, took his legions outside the gates, stood before them and announced, “We are marching south to join in the defense of the southern lands from this monster of a king.  Any man who wishes to stay may do so without penalty.” According to those same reports, not a single soldier left.  Many have speculated as to why Osbeorn did not simply command his legions to take control of Folkhame itself and become king. Speculation has long focused on whether Osbeorn had the numbers to accomplish this task and has largely ignored the reality that to someone of Osbeorn’s background, such a betrayal would never have been honorable, whereas riding to the defense of an oppressed population (and one in sore need of experienced military leadership) was honorable.  One apocryphal report states that as they rode south, one of Osbeorn’s captains said to him, “The king truly is insane,” whereupon Osbeorn is said to have replied, “The king is not insane, kingship is insane.” ===The Intervention (113-112 PC)=== The ongoing crisis in Greatvale eventually became one of tremendous concern to the surrounding realms.  Godwine himself had never been popular and initially the rebellion brought comfort to some of the other powers in the region, especially to Zajjasu of Carmadh.  But as the conflict wore on, it became clear that the <em>nature </em>of the rebellion was a bigger threat than Godwine himself had ever been.  Two dissident realms had established themselves in the north and south of Greatvale and neither one had proclaimed a king. In fact, they had both declared themselves to be intentionally free of a king.  Fearing the political instability this might bring about in their own realms, the surrounding powers all sent expeditionary forces into Greatvale to shore up Godwine and help to quell the rebellions. Initially, southern forces were taken aback by the foreign intervention, and heavy losses were suffered in the initial encounters, particularly in Wulfred’s Byland and in the south-east marches below the Eastvale Mountains.  However, Osbeorn led a force into the Byland and met Zajjasu’s forces at the edge of the Deepwood.  Osbeorn’s army routed Zajjasu completely and by the end of the engagement had secured the entirety of the Deepwood under southern control.  Some have speculated that Osbeorn took the Deepwood as an insult to Godwine who had precipitated the entire crisis when he had set out to do so five years earlier. In the north, Leofric sent a host to engage an army attempting to invade through the Upgang Pass. Leofric sent a local militia commander named Weland who had impressed Leofric with his skill.  Weland was also from near the pass and his knowledge of the pass helped him to defeat a force that outnumbered his two-to-one. Leofric himself took a great army and marched south toward Folkhame.  Godwine had foolishly believed that the intervention was turning the tide and so had sent two armies out of Folkhame to retake the south and west vales.  A separate force from Brandwyck intercepted Godwine’s western host and fought a battle there that, while not decisive, did cause the force to retreat back to Folkhame.  A second royalist force traveled along the Tidewater but was constantly harassed by southern forces as they made their way south and were never able to meet up with the interventionist forces as had been hoped.  In fact, the intervention only served to stoke the fires of rebellion among the towns and cities of Greatvale, for now it was clear that Godwine was in league with Greatvale's enemies.  And while most were wise enough to realize that the foreign powers were doing this to advance their own interests, the symbolism of their king fighting alongside foreign forces to oppress his own people was too powerful to ignore and served to galvanize the entire rebellion. On the 10th day of [[Midmath]] 112 PC, Godwine took his remaining forces from Folkhame and marched north to meet Leofric’s host that had been traveling south along the east shore of the Tidewater. ===Campaign’s End (111-110 PC)=== On the 15th day of Regenmath 111 PC, Godwine’s armies engaged Leofric’s host at the north ford of the Tidewater.  In a battle that lasted two days, Leofric defeated Godwine who took his army and fled west to the Westvale Mountains.  Leofric followed in pursuit, stopping only to establish a garrison at Folkhame.  Leofric left strict instruction that no one was to be harmed in the city, that the boroughmoot was to be restored to power and that the provision of the people’s material need should be a priority.  What few members of the Ealdormoot who remained convened at the same time and disavowed all the decrees against Leofric and Osbeorn that they had issued under Godwine’s direction. Leofric continued west in pursuit of Godwine only to encounter another royalist force in the midvale. This force had been the one previously sent west and defeated by another northern army the previous year. This army was utterly destroyed.  Most of the soldiers fled dropping their weapons and casting off what armor they had as they ran.  Those who remained to fight were vastly outmatched by a better led army, and one with a far higher morale.  In fact, many of the residents of the region, remembering the King’s March, joined with Leofric’s forces as the battle raged or served as pickets around the battlefield, capturing fleeing royalist soldiers. In the end, Leofric continued his march west with surprisingly few casualties. At the base of the Heofodbend Mountain, he was joined by the northern host and by Osbeorn’s army, returned from the Deepwood, minus a border garrison. Godwine had entrenched himself up the mountain at the Crown’s Keep and been joined by the remnants of another royalist host that had been sent into the south without success. Leofric and Osbeorn longed for war to be over, but they knew that an assault on the keep would be a disaster and would cost thousands of men.  The forces of north and south began to lay siege on the keep. By Cyrtenmath, the siege was entering its sixth month without an end in sight.  Leofric and Osbeorn’s forces had constructed impressive siege equipment and were in the midst of planning a massive assault to take the keep and end the war once and for all when a strange visitor begged entrance into the camp.  An old man dressed simply in black sackcloth, begged an audience with the generals.  After having the man searched for any weapons, they admitted him into their presence. He identified himself as Kyrion Halfmage of House Akkadon, the royal house of Carmadh, and a member of the Order of the Sun. He offered a solution to the impasse: the gates of the Crown Keep would open and the soldiers of Godwine’s army would be allowed to return to their homes in exchange for an oath of fealty to Leofric and Osbeorn.  Godwine himself would be allowed to live, but would spend his days in the Royal Crypt under the care of the Order of the Sun.  The Order of the Sun would be granted perpetual dominion over the crypt in exchange for the House of Wulfred dropping any claim to the throne of Greatvale. Leofric responded that the soldiers of Godwine’s army must swear oaths of fealty not to them but to the Ealdormoot of Greatvale.  Osbeorn insisted that all royal and noble houses drop claims to the throne of Greatvale and insisted that the throne itself accompany Godwine into the tomb.  Kyrion Halfmage was startled by these demands and replied, “Then who shall be king?” “No one,” was the joint reply. Halfmage agreed to the terms as laid out by Leofric and Osbeorn and left the camp. Within a week’s time, the first of the defenders of Crown’s Keep began to emerge, each dropping their weapons as they descended the slope of the mountain, giving the place the name Spear’s Fall.  After the army was entirely disbanded, Kyrion Halfmage emerged from the keep with four attendants and another man now dressed only in black sackcloth.  As the man walked by, it was clear that this was Godwine III Beorcyning. Many of the soldiers of the combined armies spat on the ground as he walked by. Others shouted curses or hurled mud and dirt.  But no one unsheathed a sword or lowered a spear: Leofric and Osbeorn had been clear in their orders. Joining in the procession was a cart that had come from Folkhame, bearing the throne of the king.  The jeers for the chair were almost as loud as the jeers for Godwine and many of the soldiers offered grass to the oxen bearing the cart as a sign of camaraderie in the service of liberating the land of the king. As they procession left the armies’ combined camp, Osbeorn asked his steward what food they had available to feast with. The steward replied that because they were preparing to break camp, most of the provisions had been stowed; all they had at hand were a few loaves of bread and some dates. Osbeorn replied, “There was never so sweet a feast as the one of bread and dates that we shall share tonight.”  He and Leofric shared this meal with their stewards, whom they insisted join them in the feast, not as servants, but as brothers-in-arms. A special honor guard accompanied the men from the Order of the Sun on their long march to the Royal Crypt, both to protect them from harm and to ensure that they went inside. Once Kyrion and Godwine and their party entered the Tomb, the door was locked from the inside and the guard took position around the entrance.  A peasant girl brought a wreath to lay at the tomb. Reports vary but some claim this was Leafday Sceaphyrd, the youngest daughter of Swithin Sceaphyrd of Oxbridge.  When the soldiers asked her, “You’re not laying that wreath for Godwine, are you?” she replied, “No, for all those who lost their lives because of Godwine.” “Good,” said one soldier, “because that king was insane.” “No,” she replied, “Kingship is insane.” ==Establishment of the Folkdeed of Greatvale== Leofric and Osbeorn returned to Folkhame but disbanded the bulk of their armies on the way, telling each man to return to his home, tend his flocks or fields. Only garrison forces were left to safeguard important locations. When Leofric and Osbeorn entered into the chambers of the Ealdormoot, they did so in civilian clothing, shocking the members of the Ealdormoot who had expected to find themselves under the thumb of their new liberators. Leofric had summoned the members of the boroughmoot of Brandwyck, and Osbeorn those of Fiscerehæfen to participate in the session. Each delegation having been instructed to seek to extend the folkdeed across all the lands of Greatvale. Leofric stood before them and said, “My countrymen and women, the people of Greatvale are finally free of tyranny. Do not pick up the broken shards of the past; forge something new.  Now that all the royal and noble houses have quit their claims on the throne, Greatvale truly belongs to her people. You have an opportunity to give them a government worthy of their suffering and sacrifice.” Over the ensuring weeks, the reorganization of Greatvale was deliberated and ultimately decided upon in the fashion it is known today.  Leofric and Osbeorn were elected the first two Rædgivers of the Folkdeed and Frithuswith was elected its first Witeger. The election of three nobles to these important posts at first appeared to undermine the Folkdeed’s assertion of equality, but many understood this as important buy-in by the nobles for the cause of the Folkdeed.  Leofric, Osbeorn, and Frithuswith were also the first to ritually disinherit their sons at the age of seventeen, establishing a custom for those who held the offices of Rædgiver and Witeger, a custom that would eventually also include the Ealdormoot, and finally, all of Greatvale.  Leofric and Osbeorn served out their terms before being succeeded by two commoners.  Leofric and Osbeorn would be elected to Rædgiver again over their careers in public life, but would only serve together for this first two-year period. Frithuswith, despite her frequent criticism of Leofric and Osbeorn in their roles as Rædgivers, would remain close friends with both men the rest of their lives. ==Legacy of the Long Campaign== There were those who lamented the length of the war and the cost of life, but others were quick to note that the Long Campaign had given Greatvale sufficient time to let go of its past and to imagine something new.  The Long Campaign had also cemented anti-monarchist sentiment in the population, such that when the Ealdormoot placed the proposed plan before the people, few objected that it lacked a king. Others have noted that had the Folkdeed not been born in such circumstances and placed in the crucible of the Long Campaign, it could never have survived the Catastrophe or the Lost Time that followed. [[Category:Events]] bf5477a71055232488830b8a903fdf31f309f13b 118 117 2014-03-16T18:34:16Z Schaef 3364594 /* The King’s March (118-116 PC) */ wikitext text/x-wiki The Long Campaign is the name given to the nine-year long civil war that removed the Last King of [[Greatvale]] and established the republic known as the [[Folkdeed of Greatvale]]. ==Background== In the year 120 PC, Archon Zajjasu of Carmadh celebrated the tenth year of his reign with a hunting party.  This hunting party attracted some of the great nobles and leaders of the western Sunrise Lands. Notably absent from the invitation was King Godwine III Beorncyning of Greatvale, though few were surprised by this, as relations between Carmadh and Greatvale were cool at the time. Zajjasu took his hunting party along the western side of the Kiting Mountains, the name by which Carmadh refers to the Westvale Mountains.  Toward the end of the expedition, Zajjasu led his party into the Deepwood, the forest to the south of the Westvale Mountains that marks the boundary between Carmadh and Greatvale. Although at this time the border had never been firmly established between the two realms, the woods were considered something of a “neutral zone” between the kingdoms, available for ordinary use by the people, but off limits for military or commercial use. When Godwine became aware of Zajjasu’s party’s presence in the Deepwood, the slight of his non-invitation became insult.  He declared that Carmadh’s presence in the Deepwood was an affront to all of Greatvale and especially to the honor of his house. To announce his response, he spoke before the Ealdormoot, many of whom were skeptical, but since Godwine merely convened the gathering to declare his intention rather than seek their counsel, their opinions were largely irrelevant. This followed a long pattern of erratic behavior on the part of Godwine and his increasing indifference toward the opinions of the nobles and aristocrats who made up the Ealdormoot. On the first day of [[Lenctenmath]] 118 PC, Godwine led a great host out from Folkhame toward the Deepwood to engage Zajjasu and to secure the Deepwood once and for all as Greatvale territory. On the way west, the army camped outside the town of Oxbridge, near the farm of Swithin Sceaphyrd, a commoner landholder.  During the encampment, the men of Godwine’s host resupplied themselves with the produce of Sceaphyrd’s farm, slaughtered his flocks, and at one point, seized his daughters for the “comfort” of the troops.  Sceaphyrd pleaded to the king for justice for his daughters and restitution for his lost crops and livestock.  The king rejected Sceaphyrd’s plea and sent him away. The king was reported to have said, “The problems of peasants are nothing when the honor of kings is at stake.” Devastated, Sceaphyrd went to the Boroughmoot of Oxbridge and requested their aid.  The Boroughmoot authorized their Ealdorman, Hrothgar of Wildewood, himself a cousin to Godwine, to petition the King for mercy through the Ealdormoot. Ealdor Hrothgar was in Oxbridge at the time and agreed to speak to his cousin for restitution and return of the girls. When Hrothgar appeared before the king, Godwine became so incensed that his judgment was being questioned, by his kin and his subjects, that he had Hrothgar arrested as a traitor and bound in irons.  He then dispatched a legion to raze Oxbridge to the ground as a “town in rebellion.” Swithun Sceaphyrd and his family were all executed as sympathizers to the Carmadh cause, though it is sometimes believed that one of his daughters escaped.  Every member of the Boroughmoot was nailed to the walls of Oxbridge before they were set on fire. ==Leofric’s Rebellion== Leofric of Brandwyck, a Hundredman in Godwine’s army was witness to the razing of Oxbridge as he rode with some of his officers on sentry around the camp.  Having become convinced that the king, after a long history of erratic behavior, had in fact gone mad, he and his officers rode as fast as they could back to Folkhame with news of the destruction of Oxbridge. The Ealdormoot was greatly distressed to hear the news, but opted to take no action—half of the members were either kin or appointees of the king. Many even criticized Leofric for raising the matter during a time of national crisis, a crisis, Leofric noted, that had been started by this same mad king. Leofric took the curious, and at the time, novel action of resigning his commission to the Ealdormoot rather than to the king, saying that his honor as a soldier would not allow him to continue to serve a king who was enemy to his own subjects.  He would not speak on behalf of his officers, but all of them followed suit and resigned before the Ealdormoot. Leofric and his officers rode north headed toward Brandwyck.  En route they were intercepted by a rider who bore a surprising message: a number of the Ealdormen and -women shared Leofric’s concerns about the king and wished to meet with him.  A day later, in a back room at the Fly &amp; Eel Inn, Leofric and his men met with Æthelræd of Whitshollow, Frithuswith of Northmarch, and Hereweald of Eoford. The members of the Ealdormoot told Leofric that they had had some concerns about the king for some time, noting that his edicts had grown more and more erratic and that this entire venture against Carmadh was forced down the Ealdormoot’s throat.  As the conversation went late into the night, the list of the king’s follies and crimes grew longer and longer as the Ealdors shared what they knew.  At each report, Leofric became more and more disturbed and agitated. Finally, Æthelræd stated bluntly, “The king is insane,” to which Leofric famously replied: S<em>e cyning is ne wodseoc; cyningscipe biđ wodseoc</em> - ”The king is not insane; king<em>ship </em>is insane.” He went on to note the injustices perpetrated by practically every king after King Cynric I, even the kings they considered “good”, and noted that it was the entire structure that bred this kind of evil.  Some of his officers shared stories of horrors from neighboring realms.  And every once in a while one of the company would simply utter: “The king is not insane; kingship is insane.” As they paused at one point, simply to reflect on what had been said, Frithuswith sat forward in her chair and asked: “Who is Greatvale for, in the end? The King or the people?” Leofric stood and announced his intention to continue his ride north and there to rally the people to declare a free state independent of the crown. The Ealdors agreed that they would return to Folkhame to try to discern how many of the Ealdormoot would support such action. Leofric rode north to Brandwyck and shared with the Boroughmoot what had taken place in Oxbridge and the other reports of the king’s misdeeds. The Boroughmoot reacted with horror but were reluctant to take action. “What course do we have available to us?” one member reportedly asked. “Shall we set up for ourselves a king in the north against whom some later valiant son will have to rebel?” Leofric replied, “There will be no king in the north, and if the fates are with us, there will be no king in the south. Our task is to create a work of the people, a <em>folkdeed</em>.” The Boroughmoot affirmed the idea and on the 12th day of Blostmath 118 PC, the free and independent Folkdeed of Northvale was declared.  Leofric was offered the post of Lord Protector but declined, arguing that he could better support the new state as a general and pleaded with the Boroughmoot to govern as a council.  In later years, Leofric is reported to have said, “Had I taken the office, even though it have a different title, I would have been a king; and I had seen enough of kingship to know that I was not strong enough a man to resist its corruptions.” Leofric went to the neighboring estates and holdfasts, personally appealing for support. It was said that such was Leofric’s passion, valor, and charm that he often persuaded people within the first minutes of his conversation with them.  Within a month the whole of the Northvale and the Northmarch had allied themselves with the fledgling state in Brandwyck.  Leofric proved an impressive commander and within a few weeks had established defenses for the new realm that were the rival of anything the Kingdom had ever produced. ==The Campaign== ===The King’s March (118-116 PC)=== When King Godwine was told of what had happened in Brandwyck he was outraged.  He quickly broke camp and returned to Folkhame with his entire army, save a couple of legions to guard the frontier, which he still believed was about to be invaded by Carmadh. When he arrived in Folkhame, he disbanded the Ealdormoot and placed many of the members under house arrest. Godwine believed that Brandwyck could never have done what it did without either aid or encouragement from the Ealdormoot and set out to determine who in the council had betrayed him. [[File:lc1.png|200px|thumb|right|The King's March]] While the Kingdom of Greatvale had never been anything remotely resembling a participatory democracy, the Ealdormoot had long been a respected advisory body, and helped the nobles to feel involved in the kingdom and giving them a sense of ownership.  Now, those same nobles were being rounded up and imprisoned by the king and his agents.  Æthelræd of Whitshollow was thrown into a dungeon and eventually died under torture.  Frithuswith of Northmarch and Hereweald of Eoford were able to escape Folkhame and were taken north by agents of Leofric. Godwine’s measures in Folkhame were brutal and achieved a measure of success; all dissension was quelled in the capital and when the Ealdormoot was eventually reconvened, it declared all of Godwine’s actions to be legal and necessary in defense of the realm.  They declared the Northvale and Northmarch as territories in rebellion and as traitors deserving of death. Any member of the Ealdormoot who was not in attendance or who would not sign a proxy letter was declared anathema and placed under an order of condemnation. Godwine dismissed Folkhome’s boroughmoot and left a governor in charge of the city. Feeling that the situation in Folkhame had been stabilized, he took his army north into the surrounding countryside to root out rebel sympathizers. There was no method to the king’s effort to root out enemies of the crown.  At times he appeared to select targets on a whim, burning down farms and even entire villages because he <em>knew</em> they had to be part of this rebellion. For two years, Godwine’s army terrorized the central valley on either side of the Great Tidewater. Entreaties by the Ealdormoot to return to Folkhome and take his place on the throne were ignored. In all this time, Godwine made not one attempt to enter the lands that had declared independence.  All of his activity took place on land that was considered to be loyal. Over the course of the King’s March, it is believed that some 30,000 Greatvalers died at the hands of the king’s army. ===The Siege of the North (116-114 PC)=== Having been satisfied that the lands behind him were now free of treason, Godwine set his eyes on the north country.  In Sonnemath of 116, he led his host north along the Great Tidewater toward Brandwyck.  Leofric had by this time erected fortifications all along the ridge line, preserving the high vale territories, on which much grain could be grown, but also the mills of the the upper Tidewater.  Had Godwine marched north immediately, rather than needlessly terrorizing the southern and central countryside, he would have caught the Folkdeed in a much more disadvantaged state. As it was, the king’s host was prevented from moving further up the valley; the fortifications were sufficient to hold Godwine’s advance but not to drive it back completely.  One of the great strengths of the Kingdom of Greatvale is that the entire geography is something of a fortress. The mountain that surround the valley are exceptionally difficult to cross in great numbers and the safe passes are few.  Godwine decided to use this to his advantage.  He decided to lay siege to Northvale and starve them out. He dispatched two legions to secure the passes to the north and northeast of the vale. In one case, he illegally sent troops over foreign soil to block the pass from the back end. Leofric dispatched as many forces as he could to defend the passes from incursion, but knew he did not have enough strength to dislodge the king’s troops and maintain the defenses along his southern fortifications.  The Brandwyck boroughmoot established programs to store food as best as possible. Great storehouses were constructed for grain. A woman named Hilda, widow to Eadmund Fiscere, led a band of people north into the mountains to carve out great chunks of ice and bring them down into the vale by sledge. They placed these large pieces of ice in the ground and built structures over them.  These “Hilda’s Iceboxes” became huge storage centers for fish from Lake Sworetunga  and other perishable produce of the region. Initially, people were asked to sacrifice a meal a day to save on food and then two; by the end of the siege, these conditions would be considered feasting. The winter of 116-115 PC was relatively mild with a late fall and an early spring. Food production was diminished but was still able to provide for the people of Northvale.  The winter of 115-114 PC was brutal and early frosts were hard on fruit trees.  The depth of the ice on Lake Sworetunga made fishing difficult and the yields of fish were much lower that year.  In addition, Godwine sent raiding parties across the frontier to set fire to fields just before harvest, devastating entire communities.  This, in turn, led to the development of the Folkeored, a mounted regiment who could patrol the farmlands and respond quickly to any reports of firing of fields.  The Folkeored was ultimately able to capture or kill most of those who came on raiding parties but not before those parties exacted a heavy toll. ===Rebellion in the South (114 – 113 PC)=== Ultimately, the rescue of the north did not come from Leofric’s armies or the Folkeored, but from the peoples of the south.  The siege on Northvale had had disastrous effects on the economies of the south, especially the trading and merchant fleets of Fralin’s Deep.  By the second century P.C., Greatvale had established itself as a seagoing, mercantile power in the region.  There was a high demand for the quality linen and much of the produce of the northern vale.  Godwine’s siege of the north had prevented any goods from leaving and the commercial interests of the south were suffering the effects.  The southern merchants had petitioned the king repeatedly through the Ealdormoot, but as with everything else, those petitions went unheeded.  As the siege dragged on, rumblings in the south that the king was no longer a protector of the realm but a maniac bent on punishment of those who defied him began to increase.  The horrors of the King’s March were now becoming more and more well-known as reports of the king’s indiscriminate justice began to travel the realm. In Regenmath of 114, the boroughmoot of Fiscerehæfen declared itself independent of the crown even going so far as to declare themselves to be the <em>folkdeed </em>of Fiscerehæfen. Seven other coastal cities followed suit and before long were calling themselves the Folkdeed of Southvale. Town militias and other companies of volunteers were hastily put together and marched north to secure important roads and trade routes. One company marched into Wulfred’s Byland to secure important grain resources. When word of the southern rebellion reached Godwine in the north, he immediately pulled his forces back and marched on Folkhame. His advance was slowed by muddy roads and ironically by the lack of provisions in the central valley due to his harsh campaigning there two years before. By the time Godwine reached Folkhame, the city had lost half its population to flight.  Tens of thousands streamed south into the lands of the Southvale Folkdeed. The governor whom Godwine had placed in charge of Folkhome after disbanding the city’s boroughmoot, ruled with an excessively heavy hand in an effort to quell any dissent. When Godwine got to Folkhame, he found it essentially plundered, as the city’s residents had taken everything of value they could, the most valuable thing being themselves as the city’s workforce.  Godwine executed his governor for incompetence and immediately dispatched his soldiers around the city to shore up the defenses and attain provision. Godwine was still under the impression that his force was the strongest, and in strictly speaking numeric terms this may have been the case. But by this time, after four years of war that had done little to quell the northern rebellion and had succeeded in igniting a southern one, many in the royal army were demoralized.  In fact, so intent had Godwine been on quelling dissent in the broader population, that he had ignored the rising levels of dissatisfaction in his own forces.  In Hærfestmath of 114 PC, Osbeorn Swordsmith, a commander in the royal host, simply marched his legions out of the gates of Folkhame and defected en masse to the southern cause.  Osbeorn was a nobleman of a long-established house that prized honor, and like Leofric before him, decided that his honor would not allow him to serve a king who had become his subjects’ enemy.  According to the reports, took his legions outside the gates, stood before them and announced, “We are marching south to join in the defense of the southern lands from this monster of a king.  Any man who wishes to stay may do so without penalty.” According to those same reports, not a single soldier left.  Many have speculated as to why Osbeorn did not simply command his legions to take control of Folkhame itself and become king. Speculation has long focused on whether Osbeorn had the numbers to accomplish this task and has largely ignored the reality that to someone of Osbeorn’s background, such a betrayal would never have been honorable, whereas riding to the defense of an oppressed population (and one in sore need of experienced military leadership) was honorable.  One apocryphal report states that as they rode south, one of Osbeorn’s captains said to him, “The king truly is insane,” whereupon Osbeorn is said to have replied, “The king is not insane, kingship is insane.” ===The Intervention (113-112 PC)=== The ongoing crisis in Greatvale eventually became one of tremendous concern to the surrounding realms.  Godwine himself had never been popular and initially the rebellion brought comfort to some of the other powers in the region, especially to Zajjasu of Carmadh.  But as the conflict wore on, it became clear that the <em>nature </em>of the rebellion was a bigger threat than Godwine himself had ever been.  Two dissident realms had established themselves in the north and south of Greatvale and neither one had proclaimed a king. In fact, they had both declared themselves to be intentionally free of a king.  Fearing the political instability this might bring about in their own realms, the surrounding powers all sent expeditionary forces into Greatvale to shore up Godwine and help to quell the rebellions. Initially, southern forces were taken aback by the foreign intervention, and heavy losses were suffered in the initial encounters, particularly in Wulfred’s Byland and in the south-east marches below the Eastvale Mountains.  However, Osbeorn led a force into the Byland and met Zajjasu’s forces at the edge of the Deepwood.  Osbeorn’s army routed Zajjasu completely and by the end of the engagement had secured the entirety of the Deepwood under southern control.  Some have speculated that Osbeorn took the Deepwood as an insult to Godwine who had precipitated the entire crisis when he had set out to do so five years earlier. In the north, Leofric sent a host to engage an army attempting to invade through the Upgang Pass. Leofric sent a local militia commander named Weland who had impressed Leofric with his skill.  Weland was also from near the pass and his knowledge of the pass helped him to defeat a force that outnumbered his two-to-one. Leofric himself took a great army and marched south toward Folkhame.  Godwine had foolishly believed that the intervention was turning the tide and so had sent two armies out of Folkhame to retake the south and west vales.  A separate force from Brandwyck intercepted Godwine’s western host and fought a battle there that, while not decisive, did cause the force to retreat back to Folkhame.  A second royalist force traveled along the Tidewater but was constantly harassed by southern forces as they made their way south and were never able to meet up with the interventionist forces as had been hoped.  In fact, the intervention only served to stoke the fires of rebellion among the towns and cities of Greatvale, for now it was clear that Godwine was in league with Greatvale's enemies.  And while most were wise enough to realize that the foreign powers were doing this to advance their own interests, the symbolism of their king fighting alongside foreign forces to oppress his own people was too powerful to ignore and served to galvanize the entire rebellion. On the 10th day of [[Midmath]] 112 PC, Godwine took his remaining forces from Folkhame and marched north to meet Leofric’s host that had been traveling south along the east shore of the Tidewater. ===Campaign’s End (111-110 PC)=== On the 15th day of Regenmath 111 PC, Godwine’s armies engaged Leofric’s host at the north ford of the Tidewater.  In a battle that lasted two days, Leofric defeated Godwine who took his army and fled west to the Westvale Mountains.  Leofric followed in pursuit, stopping only to establish a garrison at Folkhame.  Leofric left strict instruction that no one was to be harmed in the city, that the boroughmoot was to be restored to power and that the provision of the people’s material need should be a priority.  What few members of the Ealdormoot who remained convened at the same time and disavowed all the decrees against Leofric and Osbeorn that they had issued under Godwine’s direction. Leofric continued west in pursuit of Godwine only to encounter another royalist force in the midvale. This force had been the one previously sent west and defeated by another northern army the previous year. This army was utterly destroyed.  Most of the soldiers fled dropping their weapons and casting off what armor they had as they ran.  Those who remained to fight were vastly outmatched by a better led army, and one with a far higher morale.  In fact, many of the residents of the region, remembering the King’s March, joined with Leofric’s forces as the battle raged or served as pickets around the battlefield, capturing fleeing royalist soldiers. In the end, Leofric continued his march west with surprisingly few casualties. At the base of the Heofodbend Mountain, he was joined by the northern host and by Osbeorn’s army, returned from the Deepwood, minus a border garrison. Godwine had entrenched himself up the mountain at the Crown’s Keep and been joined by the remnants of another royalist host that had been sent into the south without success. Leofric and Osbeorn longed for war to be over, but they knew that an assault on the keep would be a disaster and would cost thousands of men.  The forces of north and south began to lay siege on the keep. By Cyrtenmath, the siege was entering its sixth month without an end in sight.  Leofric and Osbeorn’s forces had constructed impressive siege equipment and were in the midst of planning a massive assault to take the keep and end the war once and for all when a strange visitor begged entrance into the camp.  An old man dressed simply in black sackcloth, begged an audience with the generals.  After having the man searched for any weapons, they admitted him into their presence. He identified himself as Kyrion Halfmage of House Akkadon, the royal house of Carmadh, and a member of the Order of the Sun. He offered a solution to the impasse: the gates of the Crown Keep would open and the soldiers of Godwine’s army would be allowed to return to their homes in exchange for an oath of fealty to Leofric and Osbeorn.  Godwine himself would be allowed to live, but would spend his days in the Royal Crypt under the care of the Order of the Sun.  The Order of the Sun would be granted perpetual dominion over the crypt in exchange for the House of Wulfred dropping any claim to the throne of Greatvale. Leofric responded that the soldiers of Godwine’s army must swear oaths of fealty not to them but to the Ealdormoot of Greatvale.  Osbeorn insisted that all royal and noble houses drop claims to the throne of Greatvale and insisted that the throne itself accompany Godwine into the tomb.  Kyrion Halfmage was startled by these demands and replied, “Then who shall be king?” “No one,” was the joint reply. Halfmage agreed to the terms as laid out by Leofric and Osbeorn and left the camp. Within a week’s time, the first of the defenders of Crown’s Keep began to emerge, each dropping their weapons as they descended the slope of the mountain, giving the place the name Spear’s Fall.  After the army was entirely disbanded, Kyrion Halfmage emerged from the keep with four attendants and another man now dressed only in black sackcloth.  As the man walked by, it was clear that this was Godwine III Beorcyning. Many of the soldiers of the combined armies spat on the ground as he walked by. Others shouted curses or hurled mud and dirt.  But no one unsheathed a sword or lowered a spear: Leofric and Osbeorn had been clear in their orders. Joining in the procession was a cart that had come from Folkhame, bearing the throne of the king.  The jeers for the chair were almost as loud as the jeers for Godwine and many of the soldiers offered grass to the oxen bearing the cart as a sign of camaraderie in the service of liberating the land of the king. As they procession left the armies’ combined camp, Osbeorn asked his steward what food they had available to feast with. The steward replied that because they were preparing to break camp, most of the provisions had been stowed; all they had at hand were a few loaves of bread and some dates. Osbeorn replied, “There was never so sweet a feast as the one of bread and dates that we shall share tonight.”  He and Leofric shared this meal with their stewards, whom they insisted join them in the feast, not as servants, but as brothers-in-arms. A special honor guard accompanied the men from the Order of the Sun on their long march to the Royal Crypt, both to protect them from harm and to ensure that they went inside. Once Kyrion and Godwine and their party entered the Tomb, the door was locked from the inside and the guard took position around the entrance.  A peasant girl brought a wreath to lay at the tomb. Reports vary but some claim this was Leafday Sceaphyrd, the youngest daughter of Swithin Sceaphyrd of Oxbridge.  When the soldiers asked her, “You’re not laying that wreath for Godwine, are you?” she replied, “No, for all those who lost their lives because of Godwine.” “Good,” said one soldier, “because that king was insane.” “No,” she replied, “Kingship is insane.” ==Establishment of the Folkdeed of Greatvale== Leofric and Osbeorn returned to Folkhame but disbanded the bulk of their armies on the way, telling each man to return to his home, tend his flocks or fields. Only garrison forces were left to safeguard important locations. When Leofric and Osbeorn entered into the chambers of the Ealdormoot, they did so in civilian clothing, shocking the members of the Ealdormoot who had expected to find themselves under the thumb of their new liberators. Leofric had summoned the members of the boroughmoot of Brandwyck, and Osbeorn those of Fiscerehæfen to participate in the session. Each delegation having been instructed to seek to extend the folkdeed across all the lands of Greatvale. Leofric stood before them and said, “My countrymen and women, the people of Greatvale are finally free of tyranny. Do not pick up the broken shards of the past; forge something new.  Now that all the royal and noble houses have quit their claims on the throne, Greatvale truly belongs to her people. You have an opportunity to give them a government worthy of their suffering and sacrifice.” Over the ensuring weeks, the reorganization of Greatvale was deliberated and ultimately decided upon in the fashion it is known today.  Leofric and Osbeorn were elected the first two Rædgivers of the Folkdeed and Frithuswith was elected its first Witeger. The election of three nobles to these important posts at first appeared to undermine the Folkdeed’s assertion of equality, but many understood this as important buy-in by the nobles for the cause of the Folkdeed.  Leofric, Osbeorn, and Frithuswith were also the first to ritually disinherit their sons at the age of seventeen, establishing a custom for those who held the offices of Rædgiver and Witeger, a custom that would eventually also include the Ealdormoot, and finally, all of Greatvale.  Leofric and Osbeorn served out their terms before being succeeded by two commoners.  Leofric and Osbeorn would be elected to Rædgiver again over their careers in public life, but would only serve together for this first two-year period. Frithuswith, despite her frequent criticism of Leofric and Osbeorn in their roles as Rædgivers, would remain close friends with both men the rest of their lives. ==Legacy of the Long Campaign== There were those who lamented the length of the war and the cost of life, but others were quick to note that the Long Campaign had given Greatvale sufficient time to let go of its past and to imagine something new.  The Long Campaign had also cemented anti-monarchist sentiment in the population, such that when the Ealdormoot placed the proposed plan before the people, few objected that it lacked a king. Others have noted that had the Folkdeed not been born in such circumstances and placed in the crucible of the Long Campaign, it could never have survived the Catastrophe or the Lost Time that followed. [[Category:Events]] b7beb6c23783130246bb537fa1c5e936dc9369dd 119 118 2014-03-16T18:34:52Z Schaef 3364594 /* Background */ wikitext text/x-wiki The Long Campaign is the name given to the nine-year long civil war that removed the Last King of [[Greatvale]] and established the republic known as the [[Folkdeed of Greatvale]]. ==Background== In the year 120 PC, Archon Zajjasu of Carmadh celebrated the tenth year of his reign with a hunting party.  This hunting party attracted some of the great nobles and leaders of the western Sunrise Lands. Notably absent from the invitation was King Godwine III Beorncyning of Greatvale, though few were surprised by this, as relations between Carmadh and Greatvale were cool at the time. Zajjasu took his hunting party along the western side of the Kiting Mountains, the name by which Carmadh refers to the Westvale Mountains.  Toward the end of the expedition, Zajjasu led his party into the Deepwood, the forest to the south of the Westvale Mountains that marks the boundary between Carmadh and Greatvale. Although at this time the border had never been firmly established between the two realms, the woods were considered something of a “neutral zone” between the kingdoms, available for ordinary use by the people, but off limits for military or commercial use. [[File:lc.png|200px|thumb|right|The Kingdom of Greatvale]] When Godwine became aware of Zajjasu’s party’s presence in the Deepwood, the slight of his non-invitation became insult.  He declared that Carmadh’s presence in the Deepwood was an affront to all of Greatvale and especially to the honor of his house. To announce his response, he spoke before the Ealdormoot, many of whom were skeptical, but since Godwine merely convened the gathering to declare his intention rather than seek their counsel, their opinions were largely irrelevant. This followed a long pattern of erratic behavior on the part of Godwine and his increasing indifference toward the opinions of the nobles and aristocrats who made up the Ealdormoot. On the first day of [[Lenctenmath]] 118 PC, Godwine led a great host out from Folkhame toward the Deepwood to engage Zajjasu and to secure the Deepwood once and for all as Greatvale territory. On the way west, the army camped outside the town of Oxbridge, near the farm of Swithin Sceaphyrd, a commoner landholder.  During the encampment, the men of Godwine’s host resupplied themselves with the produce of Sceaphyrd’s farm, slaughtered his flocks, and at one point, seized his daughters for the “comfort” of the troops.  Sceaphyrd pleaded to the king for justice for his daughters and restitution for his lost crops and livestock.  The king rejected Sceaphyrd’s plea and sent him away. The king was reported to have said, “The problems of peasants are nothing when the honor of kings is at stake.” Devastated, Sceaphyrd went to the Boroughmoot of Oxbridge and requested their aid.  The Boroughmoot authorized their Ealdorman, Hrothgar of Wildewood, himself a cousin to Godwine, to petition the King for mercy through the Ealdormoot. Ealdor Hrothgar was in Oxbridge at the time and agreed to speak to his cousin for restitution and return of the girls. When Hrothgar appeared before the king, Godwine became so incensed that his judgment was being questioned, by his kin and his subjects, that he had Hrothgar arrested as a traitor and bound in irons.  He then dispatched a legion to raze Oxbridge to the ground as a “town in rebellion.” Swithun Sceaphyrd and his family were all executed as sympathizers to the Carmadh cause, though it is sometimes believed that one of his daughters escaped.  Every member of the Boroughmoot was nailed to the walls of Oxbridge before they were set on fire. ==Leofric’s Rebellion== Leofric of Brandwyck, a Hundredman in Godwine’s army was witness to the razing of Oxbridge as he rode with some of his officers on sentry around the camp.  Having become convinced that the king, after a long history of erratic behavior, had in fact gone mad, he and his officers rode as fast as they could back to Folkhame with news of the destruction of Oxbridge. The Ealdormoot was greatly distressed to hear the news, but opted to take no action—half of the members were either kin or appointees of the king. Many even criticized Leofric for raising the matter during a time of national crisis, a crisis, Leofric noted, that had been started by this same mad king. Leofric took the curious, and at the time, novel action of resigning his commission to the Ealdormoot rather than to the king, saying that his honor as a soldier would not allow him to continue to serve a king who was enemy to his own subjects.  He would not speak on behalf of his officers, but all of them followed suit and resigned before the Ealdormoot. Leofric and his officers rode north headed toward Brandwyck.  En route they were intercepted by a rider who bore a surprising message: a number of the Ealdormen and -women shared Leofric’s concerns about the king and wished to meet with him.  A day later, in a back room at the Fly &amp; Eel Inn, Leofric and his men met with Æthelræd of Whitshollow, Frithuswith of Northmarch, and Hereweald of Eoford. The members of the Ealdormoot told Leofric that they had had some concerns about the king for some time, noting that his edicts had grown more and more erratic and that this entire venture against Carmadh was forced down the Ealdormoot’s throat.  As the conversation went late into the night, the list of the king’s follies and crimes grew longer and longer as the Ealdors shared what they knew.  At each report, Leofric became more and more disturbed and agitated. Finally, Æthelræd stated bluntly, “The king is insane,” to which Leofric famously replied: S<em>e cyning is ne wodseoc; cyningscipe biđ wodseoc</em> - ”The king is not insane; king<em>ship </em>is insane.” He went on to note the injustices perpetrated by practically every king after King Cynric I, even the kings they considered “good”, and noted that it was the entire structure that bred this kind of evil.  Some of his officers shared stories of horrors from neighboring realms.  And every once in a while one of the company would simply utter: “The king is not insane; kingship is insane.” As they paused at one point, simply to reflect on what had been said, Frithuswith sat forward in her chair and asked: “Who is Greatvale for, in the end? The King or the people?” Leofric stood and announced his intention to continue his ride north and there to rally the people to declare a free state independent of the crown. The Ealdors agreed that they would return to Folkhame to try to discern how many of the Ealdormoot would support such action. Leofric rode north to Brandwyck and shared with the Boroughmoot what had taken place in Oxbridge and the other reports of the king’s misdeeds. The Boroughmoot reacted with horror but were reluctant to take action. “What course do we have available to us?” one member reportedly asked. “Shall we set up for ourselves a king in the north against whom some later valiant son will have to rebel?” Leofric replied, “There will be no king in the north, and if the fates are with us, there will be no king in the south. Our task is to create a work of the people, a <em>folkdeed</em>.” The Boroughmoot affirmed the idea and on the 12th day of Blostmath 118 PC, the free and independent Folkdeed of Northvale was declared.  Leofric was offered the post of Lord Protector but declined, arguing that he could better support the new state as a general and pleaded with the Boroughmoot to govern as a council.  In later years, Leofric is reported to have said, “Had I taken the office, even though it have a different title, I would have been a king; and I had seen enough of kingship to know that I was not strong enough a man to resist its corruptions.” Leofric went to the neighboring estates and holdfasts, personally appealing for support. It was said that such was Leofric’s passion, valor, and charm that he often persuaded people within the first minutes of his conversation with them.  Within a month the whole of the Northvale and the Northmarch had allied themselves with the fledgling state in Brandwyck.  Leofric proved an impressive commander and within a few weeks had established defenses for the new realm that were the rival of anything the Kingdom had ever produced. ==The Campaign== ===The King’s March (118-116 PC)=== When King Godwine was told of what had happened in Brandwyck he was outraged.  He quickly broke camp and returned to Folkhame with his entire army, save a couple of legions to guard the frontier, which he still believed was about to be invaded by Carmadh. When he arrived in Folkhame, he disbanded the Ealdormoot and placed many of the members under house arrest. Godwine believed that Brandwyck could never have done what it did without either aid or encouragement from the Ealdormoot and set out to determine who in the council had betrayed him. [[File:lc1.png|200px|thumb|right|The King's March]] While the Kingdom of Greatvale had never been anything remotely resembling a participatory democracy, the Ealdormoot had long been a respected advisory body, and helped the nobles to feel involved in the kingdom and giving them a sense of ownership.  Now, those same nobles were being rounded up and imprisoned by the king and his agents.  Æthelræd of Whitshollow was thrown into a dungeon and eventually died under torture.  Frithuswith of Northmarch and Hereweald of Eoford were able to escape Folkhame and were taken north by agents of Leofric. Godwine’s measures in Folkhame were brutal and achieved a measure of success; all dissension was quelled in the capital and when the Ealdormoot was eventually reconvened, it declared all of Godwine’s actions to be legal and necessary in defense of the realm.  They declared the Northvale and Northmarch as territories in rebellion and as traitors deserving of death. Any member of the Ealdormoot who was not in attendance or who would not sign a proxy letter was declared anathema and placed under an order of condemnation. Godwine dismissed Folkhome’s boroughmoot and left a governor in charge of the city. Feeling that the situation in Folkhame had been stabilized, he took his army north into the surrounding countryside to root out rebel sympathizers. There was no method to the king’s effort to root out enemies of the crown.  At times he appeared to select targets on a whim, burning down farms and even entire villages because he <em>knew</em> they had to be part of this rebellion. For two years, Godwine’s army terrorized the central valley on either side of the Great Tidewater. Entreaties by the Ealdormoot to return to Folkhome and take his place on the throne were ignored. In all this time, Godwine made not one attempt to enter the lands that had declared independence.  All of his activity took place on land that was considered to be loyal. Over the course of the King’s March, it is believed that some 30,000 Greatvalers died at the hands of the king’s army. ===The Siege of the North (116-114 PC)=== Having been satisfied that the lands behind him were now free of treason, Godwine set his eyes on the north country.  In Sonnemath of 116, he led his host north along the Great Tidewater toward Brandwyck.  Leofric had by this time erected fortifications all along the ridge line, preserving the high vale territories, on which much grain could be grown, but also the mills of the the upper Tidewater.  Had Godwine marched north immediately, rather than needlessly terrorizing the southern and central countryside, he would have caught the Folkdeed in a much more disadvantaged state. As it was, the king’s host was prevented from moving further up the valley; the fortifications were sufficient to hold Godwine’s advance but not to drive it back completely.  One of the great strengths of the Kingdom of Greatvale is that the entire geography is something of a fortress. The mountain that surround the valley are exceptionally difficult to cross in great numbers and the safe passes are few.  Godwine decided to use this to his advantage.  He decided to lay siege to Northvale and starve them out. He dispatched two legions to secure the passes to the north and northeast of the vale. In one case, he illegally sent troops over foreign soil to block the pass from the back end. Leofric dispatched as many forces as he could to defend the passes from incursion, but knew he did not have enough strength to dislodge the king’s troops and maintain the defenses along his southern fortifications.  The Brandwyck boroughmoot established programs to store food as best as possible. Great storehouses were constructed for grain. A woman named Hilda, widow to Eadmund Fiscere, led a band of people north into the mountains to carve out great chunks of ice and bring them down into the vale by sledge. They placed these large pieces of ice in the ground and built structures over them.  These “Hilda’s Iceboxes” became huge storage centers for fish from Lake Sworetunga  and other perishable produce of the region. Initially, people were asked to sacrifice a meal a day to save on food and then two; by the end of the siege, these conditions would be considered feasting. The winter of 116-115 PC was relatively mild with a late fall and an early spring. Food production was diminished but was still able to provide for the people of Northvale.  The winter of 115-114 PC was brutal and early frosts were hard on fruit trees.  The depth of the ice on Lake Sworetunga made fishing difficult and the yields of fish were much lower that year.  In addition, Godwine sent raiding parties across the frontier to set fire to fields just before harvest, devastating entire communities.  This, in turn, led to the development of the Folkeored, a mounted regiment who could patrol the farmlands and respond quickly to any reports of firing of fields.  The Folkeored was ultimately able to capture or kill most of those who came on raiding parties but not before those parties exacted a heavy toll. ===Rebellion in the South (114 – 113 PC)=== Ultimately, the rescue of the north did not come from Leofric’s armies or the Folkeored, but from the peoples of the south.  The siege on Northvale had had disastrous effects on the economies of the south, especially the trading and merchant fleets of Fralin’s Deep.  By the second century P.C., Greatvale had established itself as a seagoing, mercantile power in the region.  There was a high demand for the quality linen and much of the produce of the northern vale.  Godwine’s siege of the north had prevented any goods from leaving and the commercial interests of the south were suffering the effects.  The southern merchants had petitioned the king repeatedly through the Ealdormoot, but as with everything else, those petitions went unheeded.  As the siege dragged on, rumblings in the south that the king was no longer a protector of the realm but a maniac bent on punishment of those who defied him began to increase.  The horrors of the King’s March were now becoming more and more well-known as reports of the king’s indiscriminate justice began to travel the realm. In Regenmath of 114, the boroughmoot of Fiscerehæfen declared itself independent of the crown even going so far as to declare themselves to be the <em>folkdeed </em>of Fiscerehæfen. Seven other coastal cities followed suit and before long were calling themselves the Folkdeed of Southvale. Town militias and other companies of volunteers were hastily put together and marched north to secure important roads and trade routes. One company marched into Wulfred’s Byland to secure important grain resources. When word of the southern rebellion reached Godwine in the north, he immediately pulled his forces back and marched on Folkhame. His advance was slowed by muddy roads and ironically by the lack of provisions in the central valley due to his harsh campaigning there two years before. By the time Godwine reached Folkhame, the city had lost half its population to flight.  Tens of thousands streamed south into the lands of the Southvale Folkdeed. The governor whom Godwine had placed in charge of Folkhome after disbanding the city’s boroughmoot, ruled with an excessively heavy hand in an effort to quell any dissent. When Godwine got to Folkhame, he found it essentially plundered, as the city’s residents had taken everything of value they could, the most valuable thing being themselves as the city’s workforce.  Godwine executed his governor for incompetence and immediately dispatched his soldiers around the city to shore up the defenses and attain provision. Godwine was still under the impression that his force was the strongest, and in strictly speaking numeric terms this may have been the case. But by this time, after four years of war that had done little to quell the northern rebellion and had succeeded in igniting a southern one, many in the royal army were demoralized.  In fact, so intent had Godwine been on quelling dissent in the broader population, that he had ignored the rising levels of dissatisfaction in his own forces.  In Hærfestmath of 114 PC, Osbeorn Swordsmith, a commander in the royal host, simply marched his legions out of the gates of Folkhame and defected en masse to the southern cause.  Osbeorn was a nobleman of a long-established house that prized honor, and like Leofric before him, decided that his honor would not allow him to serve a king who had become his subjects’ enemy.  According to the reports, took his legions outside the gates, stood before them and announced, “We are marching south to join in the defense of the southern lands from this monster of a king.  Any man who wishes to stay may do so without penalty.” According to those same reports, not a single soldier left.  Many have speculated as to why Osbeorn did not simply command his legions to take control of Folkhame itself and become king. Speculation has long focused on whether Osbeorn had the numbers to accomplish this task and has largely ignored the reality that to someone of Osbeorn’s background, such a betrayal would never have been honorable, whereas riding to the defense of an oppressed population (and one in sore need of experienced military leadership) was honorable.  One apocryphal report states that as they rode south, one of Osbeorn’s captains said to him, “The king truly is insane,” whereupon Osbeorn is said to have replied, “The king is not insane, kingship is insane.” ===The Intervention (113-112 PC)=== The ongoing crisis in Greatvale eventually became one of tremendous concern to the surrounding realms.  Godwine himself had never been popular and initially the rebellion brought comfort to some of the other powers in the region, especially to Zajjasu of Carmadh.  But as the conflict wore on, it became clear that the <em>nature </em>of the rebellion was a bigger threat than Godwine himself had ever been.  Two dissident realms had established themselves in the north and south of Greatvale and neither one had proclaimed a king. In fact, they had both declared themselves to be intentionally free of a king.  Fearing the political instability this might bring about in their own realms, the surrounding powers all sent expeditionary forces into Greatvale to shore up Godwine and help to quell the rebellions. Initially, southern forces were taken aback by the foreign intervention, and heavy losses were suffered in the initial encounters, particularly in Wulfred’s Byland and in the south-east marches below the Eastvale Mountains.  However, Osbeorn led a force into the Byland and met Zajjasu’s forces at the edge of the Deepwood.  Osbeorn’s army routed Zajjasu completely and by the end of the engagement had secured the entirety of the Deepwood under southern control.  Some have speculated that Osbeorn took the Deepwood as an insult to Godwine who had precipitated the entire crisis when he had set out to do so five years earlier. In the north, Leofric sent a host to engage an army attempting to invade through the Upgang Pass. Leofric sent a local militia commander named Weland who had impressed Leofric with his skill.  Weland was also from near the pass and his knowledge of the pass helped him to defeat a force that outnumbered his two-to-one. Leofric himself took a great army and marched south toward Folkhame.  Godwine had foolishly believed that the intervention was turning the tide and so had sent two armies out of Folkhame to retake the south and west vales.  A separate force from Brandwyck intercepted Godwine’s western host and fought a battle there that, while not decisive, did cause the force to retreat back to Folkhame.  A second royalist force traveled along the Tidewater but was constantly harassed by southern forces as they made their way south and were never able to meet up with the interventionist forces as had been hoped.  In fact, the intervention only served to stoke the fires of rebellion among the towns and cities of Greatvale, for now it was clear that Godwine was in league with Greatvale's enemies.  And while most were wise enough to realize that the foreign powers were doing this to advance their own interests, the symbolism of their king fighting alongside foreign forces to oppress his own people was too powerful to ignore and served to galvanize the entire rebellion. On the 10th day of [[Midmath]] 112 PC, Godwine took his remaining forces from Folkhame and marched north to meet Leofric’s host that had been traveling south along the east shore of the Tidewater. ===Campaign’s End (111-110 PC)=== On the 15th day of Regenmath 111 PC, Godwine’s armies engaged Leofric’s host at the north ford of the Tidewater.  In a battle that lasted two days, Leofric defeated Godwine who took his army and fled west to the Westvale Mountains.  Leofric followed in pursuit, stopping only to establish a garrison at Folkhame.  Leofric left strict instruction that no one was to be harmed in the city, that the boroughmoot was to be restored to power and that the provision of the people’s material need should be a priority.  What few members of the Ealdormoot who remained convened at the same time and disavowed all the decrees against Leofric and Osbeorn that they had issued under Godwine’s direction. Leofric continued west in pursuit of Godwine only to encounter another royalist force in the midvale. This force had been the one previously sent west and defeated by another northern army the previous year. This army was utterly destroyed.  Most of the soldiers fled dropping their weapons and casting off what armor they had as they ran.  Those who remained to fight were vastly outmatched by a better led army, and one with a far higher morale.  In fact, many of the residents of the region, remembering the King’s March, joined with Leofric’s forces as the battle raged or served as pickets around the battlefield, capturing fleeing royalist soldiers. In the end, Leofric continued his march west with surprisingly few casualties. At the base of the Heofodbend Mountain, he was joined by the northern host and by Osbeorn’s army, returned from the Deepwood, minus a border garrison. Godwine had entrenched himself up the mountain at the Crown’s Keep and been joined by the remnants of another royalist host that had been sent into the south without success. Leofric and Osbeorn longed for war to be over, but they knew that an assault on the keep would be a disaster and would cost thousands of men.  The forces of north and south began to lay siege on the keep. By Cyrtenmath, the siege was entering its sixth month without an end in sight.  Leofric and Osbeorn’s forces had constructed impressive siege equipment and were in the midst of planning a massive assault to take the keep and end the war once and for all when a strange visitor begged entrance into the camp.  An old man dressed simply in black sackcloth, begged an audience with the generals.  After having the man searched for any weapons, they admitted him into their presence. He identified himself as Kyrion Halfmage of House Akkadon, the royal house of Carmadh, and a member of the Order of the Sun. He offered a solution to the impasse: the gates of the Crown Keep would open and the soldiers of Godwine’s army would be allowed to return to their homes in exchange for an oath of fealty to Leofric and Osbeorn.  Godwine himself would be allowed to live, but would spend his days in the Royal Crypt under the care of the Order of the Sun.  The Order of the Sun would be granted perpetual dominion over the crypt in exchange for the House of Wulfred dropping any claim to the throne of Greatvale. Leofric responded that the soldiers of Godwine’s army must swear oaths of fealty not to them but to the Ealdormoot of Greatvale.  Osbeorn insisted that all royal and noble houses drop claims to the throne of Greatvale and insisted that the throne itself accompany Godwine into the tomb.  Kyrion Halfmage was startled by these demands and replied, “Then who shall be king?” “No one,” was the joint reply. Halfmage agreed to the terms as laid out by Leofric and Osbeorn and left the camp. Within a week’s time, the first of the defenders of Crown’s Keep began to emerge, each dropping their weapons as they descended the slope of the mountain, giving the place the name Spear’s Fall.  After the army was entirely disbanded, Kyrion Halfmage emerged from the keep with four attendants and another man now dressed only in black sackcloth.  As the man walked by, it was clear that this was Godwine III Beorcyning. Many of the soldiers of the combined armies spat on the ground as he walked by. Others shouted curses or hurled mud and dirt.  But no one unsheathed a sword or lowered a spear: Leofric and Osbeorn had been clear in their orders. Joining in the procession was a cart that had come from Folkhame, bearing the throne of the king.  The jeers for the chair were almost as loud as the jeers for Godwine and many of the soldiers offered grass to the oxen bearing the cart as a sign of camaraderie in the service of liberating the land of the king. As they procession left the armies’ combined camp, Osbeorn asked his steward what food they had available to feast with. The steward replied that because they were preparing to break camp, most of the provisions had been stowed; all they had at hand were a few loaves of bread and some dates. Osbeorn replied, “There was never so sweet a feast as the one of bread and dates that we shall share tonight.”  He and Leofric shared this meal with their stewards, whom they insisted join them in the feast, not as servants, but as brothers-in-arms. A special honor guard accompanied the men from the Order of the Sun on their long march to the Royal Crypt, both to protect them from harm and to ensure that they went inside. Once Kyrion and Godwine and their party entered the Tomb, the door was locked from the inside and the guard took position around the entrance.  A peasant girl brought a wreath to lay at the tomb. Reports vary but some claim this was Leafday Sceaphyrd, the youngest daughter of Swithin Sceaphyrd of Oxbridge.  When the soldiers asked her, “You’re not laying that wreath for Godwine, are you?” she replied, “No, for all those who lost their lives because of Godwine.” “Good,” said one soldier, “because that king was insane.” “No,” she replied, “Kingship is insane.” ==Establishment of the Folkdeed of Greatvale== Leofric and Osbeorn returned to Folkhame but disbanded the bulk of their armies on the way, telling each man to return to his home, tend his flocks or fields. Only garrison forces were left to safeguard important locations. When Leofric and Osbeorn entered into the chambers of the Ealdormoot, they did so in civilian clothing, shocking the members of the Ealdormoot who had expected to find themselves under the thumb of their new liberators. Leofric had summoned the members of the boroughmoot of Brandwyck, and Osbeorn those of Fiscerehæfen to participate in the session. Each delegation having been instructed to seek to extend the folkdeed across all the lands of Greatvale. Leofric stood before them and said, “My countrymen and women, the people of Greatvale are finally free of tyranny. Do not pick up the broken shards of the past; forge something new.  Now that all the royal and noble houses have quit their claims on the throne, Greatvale truly belongs to her people. You have an opportunity to give them a government worthy of their suffering and sacrifice.” Over the ensuring weeks, the reorganization of Greatvale was deliberated and ultimately decided upon in the fashion it is known today.  Leofric and Osbeorn were elected the first two Rædgivers of the Folkdeed and Frithuswith was elected its first Witeger. The election of three nobles to these important posts at first appeared to undermine the Folkdeed’s assertion of equality, but many understood this as important buy-in by the nobles for the cause of the Folkdeed.  Leofric, Osbeorn, and Frithuswith were also the first to ritually disinherit their sons at the age of seventeen, establishing a custom for those who held the offices of Rædgiver and Witeger, a custom that would eventually also include the Ealdormoot, and finally, all of Greatvale.  Leofric and Osbeorn served out their terms before being succeeded by two commoners.  Leofric and Osbeorn would be elected to Rædgiver again over their careers in public life, but would only serve together for this first two-year period. Frithuswith, despite her frequent criticism of Leofric and Osbeorn in their roles as Rædgivers, would remain close friends with both men the rest of their lives. ==Legacy of the Long Campaign== There were those who lamented the length of the war and the cost of life, but others were quick to note that the Long Campaign had given Greatvale sufficient time to let go of its past and to imagine something new.  The Long Campaign had also cemented anti-monarchist sentiment in the population, such that when the Ealdormoot placed the proposed plan before the people, few objected that it lacked a king. Others have noted that had the Folkdeed not been born in such circumstances and placed in the crucible of the Long Campaign, it could never have survived the Catastrophe or the Lost Time that followed. [[Category:Events]] 2887d44daf1204d0ca9e1c7fc20b2d81a4dd8466 120 119 2014-03-16T18:35:10Z Schaef 3364594 /* Background */ wikitext text/x-wiki The Long Campaign is the name given to the nine-year long civil war that removed the Last King of [[Greatvale]] and established the republic known as the [[Folkdeed of Greatvale]]. ==Background== In the year 120 PC, Archon Zajjasu of Carmadh celebrated the tenth year of his reign with a hunting party.  This hunting party attracted some of the great nobles and leaders of the western Sunrise Lands. Notably absent from the invitation was King Godwine III Beorncyning of Greatvale, though few were surprised by this, as relations between Carmadh and Greatvale were cool at the time. Zajjasu took his hunting party along the western side of the Kiting Mountains, the name by which Carmadh refers to the Westvale Mountains.  Toward the end of the expedition, Zajjasu led his party into the Deepwood, the forest to the south of the Westvale Mountains that marks the boundary between Carmadh and Greatvale. Although at this time the border had never been firmly established between the two realms, the woods were considered something of a “neutral zone” between the kingdoms, available for ordinary use by the people, but off limits for military or commercial use. When Godwine became aware of Zajjasu’s party’s presence in the Deepwood, the slight of his non-invitation became insult.  He declared that Carmadh’s presence in the Deepwood was an affront to all of Greatvale and especially to the honor of his house. To announce his response, he spoke before the Ealdormoot, many of whom were skeptical, but since Godwine merely convened the gathering to declare his intention rather than seek their counsel, their opinions were largely irrelevant. This followed a long pattern of erratic behavior on the part of Godwine and his increasing indifference toward the opinions of the nobles and aristocrats who made up the Ealdormoot. On the first day of [[Lenctenmath]] 118 PC, Godwine led a great host out from Folkhame toward the Deepwood to engage Zajjasu and to secure the Deepwood once and for all as Greatvale territory. On the way west, the army camped outside the town of Oxbridge, near the farm of Swithin Sceaphyrd, a commoner landholder.  During the encampment, the men of Godwine’s host resupplied themselves with the produce of Sceaphyrd’s farm, slaughtered his flocks, and at one point, seized his daughters for the “comfort” of the troops.  Sceaphyrd pleaded to the king for justice for his daughters and restitution for his lost crops and livestock.  The king rejected Sceaphyrd’s plea and sent him away. The king was reported to have said, “The problems of peasants are nothing when the honor of kings is at stake.” Devastated, Sceaphyrd went to the Boroughmoot of Oxbridge and requested their aid.  The Boroughmoot authorized their Ealdorman, Hrothgar of Wildewood, himself a cousin to Godwine, to petition the King for mercy through the Ealdormoot. Ealdor Hrothgar was in Oxbridge at the time and agreed to speak to his cousin for restitution and return of the girls. When Hrothgar appeared before the king, Godwine became so incensed that his judgment was being questioned, by his kin and his subjects, that he had Hrothgar arrested as a traitor and bound in irons.  He then dispatched a legion to raze Oxbridge to the ground as a “town in rebellion.” Swithun Sceaphyrd and his family were all executed as sympathizers to the Carmadh cause, though it is sometimes believed that one of his daughters escaped.  Every member of the Boroughmoot was nailed to the walls of Oxbridge before they were set on fire. ==Leofric’s Rebellion== Leofric of Brandwyck, a Hundredman in Godwine’s army was witness to the razing of Oxbridge as he rode with some of his officers on sentry around the camp.  Having become convinced that the king, after a long history of erratic behavior, had in fact gone mad, he and his officers rode as fast as they could back to Folkhame with news of the destruction of Oxbridge. The Ealdormoot was greatly distressed to hear the news, but opted to take no action—half of the members were either kin or appointees of the king. Many even criticized Leofric for raising the matter during a time of national crisis, a crisis, Leofric noted, that had been started by this same mad king. Leofric took the curious, and at the time, novel action of resigning his commission to the Ealdormoot rather than to the king, saying that his honor as a soldier would not allow him to continue to serve a king who was enemy to his own subjects.  He would not speak on behalf of his officers, but all of them followed suit and resigned before the Ealdormoot. Leofric and his officers rode north headed toward Brandwyck.  En route they were intercepted by a rider who bore a surprising message: a number of the Ealdormen and -women shared Leofric’s concerns about the king and wished to meet with him.  A day later, in a back room at the Fly &amp; Eel Inn, Leofric and his men met with Æthelræd of Whitshollow, Frithuswith of Northmarch, and Hereweald of Eoford. The members of the Ealdormoot told Leofric that they had had some concerns about the king for some time, noting that his edicts had grown more and more erratic and that this entire venture against Carmadh was forced down the Ealdormoot’s throat.  As the conversation went late into the night, the list of the king’s follies and crimes grew longer and longer as the Ealdors shared what they knew.  At each report, Leofric became more and more disturbed and agitated. Finally, Æthelræd stated bluntly, “The king is insane,” to which Leofric famously replied: S<em>e cyning is ne wodseoc; cyningscipe biđ wodseoc</em> - ”The king is not insane; king<em>ship </em>is insane.” He went on to note the injustices perpetrated by practically every king after King Cynric I, even the kings they considered “good”, and noted that it was the entire structure that bred this kind of evil.  Some of his officers shared stories of horrors from neighboring realms.  And every once in a while one of the company would simply utter: “The king is not insane; kingship is insane.” As they paused at one point, simply to reflect on what had been said, Frithuswith sat forward in her chair and asked: “Who is Greatvale for, in the end? The King or the people?” Leofric stood and announced his intention to continue his ride north and there to rally the people to declare a free state independent of the crown. The Ealdors agreed that they would return to Folkhame to try to discern how many of the Ealdormoot would support such action. Leofric rode north to Brandwyck and shared with the Boroughmoot what had taken place in Oxbridge and the other reports of the king’s misdeeds. The Boroughmoot reacted with horror but were reluctant to take action. “What course do we have available to us?” one member reportedly asked. “Shall we set up for ourselves a king in the north against whom some later valiant son will have to rebel?” Leofric replied, “There will be no king in the north, and if the fates are with us, there will be no king in the south. Our task is to create a work of the people, a <em>folkdeed</em>.” The Boroughmoot affirmed the idea and on the 12th day of Blostmath 118 PC, the free and independent Folkdeed of Northvale was declared.  Leofric was offered the post of Lord Protector but declined, arguing that he could better support the new state as a general and pleaded with the Boroughmoot to govern as a council.  In later years, Leofric is reported to have said, “Had I taken the office, even though it have a different title, I would have been a king; and I had seen enough of kingship to know that I was not strong enough a man to resist its corruptions.” Leofric went to the neighboring estates and holdfasts, personally appealing for support. It was said that such was Leofric’s passion, valor, and charm that he often persuaded people within the first minutes of his conversation with them.  Within a month the whole of the Northvale and the Northmarch had allied themselves with the fledgling state in Brandwyck.  Leofric proved an impressive commander and within a few weeks had established defenses for the new realm that were the rival of anything the Kingdom had ever produced. ==The Campaign== ===The King’s March (118-116 PC)=== When King Godwine was told of what had happened in Brandwyck he was outraged.  He quickly broke camp and returned to Folkhame with his entire army, save a couple of legions to guard the frontier, which he still believed was about to be invaded by Carmadh. When he arrived in Folkhame, he disbanded the Ealdormoot and placed many of the members under house arrest. Godwine believed that Brandwyck could never have done what it did without either aid or encouragement from the Ealdormoot and set out to determine who in the council had betrayed him. [[File:lc1.png|200px|thumb|right|The King's March]] While the Kingdom of Greatvale had never been anything remotely resembling a participatory democracy, the Ealdormoot had long been a respected advisory body, and helped the nobles to feel involved in the kingdom and giving them a sense of ownership.  Now, those same nobles were being rounded up and imprisoned by the king and his agents.  Æthelræd of Whitshollow was thrown into a dungeon and eventually died under torture.  Frithuswith of Northmarch and Hereweald of Eoford were able to escape Folkhame and were taken north by agents of Leofric. Godwine’s measures in Folkhame were brutal and achieved a measure of success; all dissension was quelled in the capital and when the Ealdormoot was eventually reconvened, it declared all of Godwine’s actions to be legal and necessary in defense of the realm.  They declared the Northvale and Northmarch as territories in rebellion and as traitors deserving of death. Any member of the Ealdormoot who was not in attendance or who would not sign a proxy letter was declared anathema and placed under an order of condemnation. Godwine dismissed Folkhome’s boroughmoot and left a governor in charge of the city. Feeling that the situation in Folkhame had been stabilized, he took his army north into the surrounding countryside to root out rebel sympathizers. There was no method to the king’s effort to root out enemies of the crown.  At times he appeared to select targets on a whim, burning down farms and even entire villages because he <em>knew</em> they had to be part of this rebellion. For two years, Godwine’s army terrorized the central valley on either side of the Great Tidewater. Entreaties by the Ealdormoot to return to Folkhome and take his place on the throne were ignored. In all this time, Godwine made not one attempt to enter the lands that had declared independence.  All of his activity took place on land that was considered to be loyal. Over the course of the King’s March, it is believed that some 30,000 Greatvalers died at the hands of the king’s army. ===The Siege of the North (116-114 PC)=== Having been satisfied that the lands behind him were now free of treason, Godwine set his eyes on the north country.  In Sonnemath of 116, he led his host north along the Great Tidewater toward Brandwyck.  Leofric had by this time erected fortifications all along the ridge line, preserving the high vale territories, on which much grain could be grown, but also the mills of the the upper Tidewater.  Had Godwine marched north immediately, rather than needlessly terrorizing the southern and central countryside, he would have caught the Folkdeed in a much more disadvantaged state. As it was, the king’s host was prevented from moving further up the valley; the fortifications were sufficient to hold Godwine’s advance but not to drive it back completely.  One of the great strengths of the Kingdom of Greatvale is that the entire geography is something of a fortress. The mountain that surround the valley are exceptionally difficult to cross in great numbers and the safe passes are few.  Godwine decided to use this to his advantage.  He decided to lay siege to Northvale and starve them out. He dispatched two legions to secure the passes to the north and northeast of the vale. In one case, he illegally sent troops over foreign soil to block the pass from the back end. Leofric dispatched as many forces as he could to defend the passes from incursion, but knew he did not have enough strength to dislodge the king’s troops and maintain the defenses along his southern fortifications.  The Brandwyck boroughmoot established programs to store food as best as possible. Great storehouses were constructed for grain. A woman named Hilda, widow to Eadmund Fiscere, led a band of people north into the mountains to carve out great chunks of ice and bring them down into the vale by sledge. They placed these large pieces of ice in the ground and built structures over them.  These “Hilda’s Iceboxes” became huge storage centers for fish from Lake Sworetunga  and other perishable produce of the region. Initially, people were asked to sacrifice a meal a day to save on food and then two; by the end of the siege, these conditions would be considered feasting. The winter of 116-115 PC was relatively mild with a late fall and an early spring. Food production was diminished but was still able to provide for the people of Northvale.  The winter of 115-114 PC was brutal and early frosts were hard on fruit trees.  The depth of the ice on Lake Sworetunga made fishing difficult and the yields of fish were much lower that year.  In addition, Godwine sent raiding parties across the frontier to set fire to fields just before harvest, devastating entire communities.  This, in turn, led to the development of the Folkeored, a mounted regiment who could patrol the farmlands and respond quickly to any reports of firing of fields.  The Folkeored was ultimately able to capture or kill most of those who came on raiding parties but not before those parties exacted a heavy toll. ===Rebellion in the South (114 – 113 PC)=== Ultimately, the rescue of the north did not come from Leofric’s armies or the Folkeored, but from the peoples of the south.  The siege on Northvale had had disastrous effects on the economies of the south, especially the trading and merchant fleets of Fralin’s Deep.  By the second century P.C., Greatvale had established itself as a seagoing, mercantile power in the region.  There was a high demand for the quality linen and much of the produce of the northern vale.  Godwine’s siege of the north had prevented any goods from leaving and the commercial interests of the south were suffering the effects.  The southern merchants had petitioned the king repeatedly through the Ealdormoot, but as with everything else, those petitions went unheeded.  As the siege dragged on, rumblings in the south that the king was no longer a protector of the realm but a maniac bent on punishment of those who defied him began to increase.  The horrors of the King’s March were now becoming more and more well-known as reports of the king’s indiscriminate justice began to travel the realm. In Regenmath of 114, the boroughmoot of Fiscerehæfen declared itself independent of the crown even going so far as to declare themselves to be the <em>folkdeed </em>of Fiscerehæfen. Seven other coastal cities followed suit and before long were calling themselves the Folkdeed of Southvale. Town militias and other companies of volunteers were hastily put together and marched north to secure important roads and trade routes. One company marched into Wulfred’s Byland to secure important grain resources. When word of the southern rebellion reached Godwine in the north, he immediately pulled his forces back and marched on Folkhame. His advance was slowed by muddy roads and ironically by the lack of provisions in the central valley due to his harsh campaigning there two years before. By the time Godwine reached Folkhame, the city had lost half its population to flight.  Tens of thousands streamed south into the lands of the Southvale Folkdeed. The governor whom Godwine had placed in charge of Folkhome after disbanding the city’s boroughmoot, ruled with an excessively heavy hand in an effort to quell any dissent. When Godwine got to Folkhame, he found it essentially plundered, as the city’s residents had taken everything of value they could, the most valuable thing being themselves as the city’s workforce.  Godwine executed his governor for incompetence and immediately dispatched his soldiers around the city to shore up the defenses and attain provision. Godwine was still under the impression that his force was the strongest, and in strictly speaking numeric terms this may have been the case. But by this time, after four years of war that had done little to quell the northern rebellion and had succeeded in igniting a southern one, many in the royal army were demoralized.  In fact, so intent had Godwine been on quelling dissent in the broader population, that he had ignored the rising levels of dissatisfaction in his own forces.  In Hærfestmath of 114 PC, Osbeorn Swordsmith, a commander in the royal host, simply marched his legions out of the gates of Folkhame and defected en masse to the southern cause.  Osbeorn was a nobleman of a long-established house that prized honor, and like Leofric before him, decided that his honor would not allow him to serve a king who had become his subjects’ enemy.  According to the reports, took his legions outside the gates, stood before them and announced, “We are marching south to join in the defense of the southern lands from this monster of a king.  Any man who wishes to stay may do so without penalty.” According to those same reports, not a single soldier left.  Many have speculated as to why Osbeorn did not simply command his legions to take control of Folkhame itself and become king. Speculation has long focused on whether Osbeorn had the numbers to accomplish this task and has largely ignored the reality that to someone of Osbeorn’s background, such a betrayal would never have been honorable, whereas riding to the defense of an oppressed population (and one in sore need of experienced military leadership) was honorable.  One apocryphal report states that as they rode south, one of Osbeorn’s captains said to him, “The king truly is insane,” whereupon Osbeorn is said to have replied, “The king is not insane, kingship is insane.” ===The Intervention (113-112 PC)=== The ongoing crisis in Greatvale eventually became one of tremendous concern to the surrounding realms.  Godwine himself had never been popular and initially the rebellion brought comfort to some of the other powers in the region, especially to Zajjasu of Carmadh.  But as the conflict wore on, it became clear that the <em>nature </em>of the rebellion was a bigger threat than Godwine himself had ever been.  Two dissident realms had established themselves in the north and south of Greatvale and neither one had proclaimed a king. In fact, they had both declared themselves to be intentionally free of a king.  Fearing the political instability this might bring about in their own realms, the surrounding powers all sent expeditionary forces into Greatvale to shore up Godwine and help to quell the rebellions. Initially, southern forces were taken aback by the foreign intervention, and heavy losses were suffered in the initial encounters, particularly in Wulfred’s Byland and in the south-east marches below the Eastvale Mountains.  However, Osbeorn led a force into the Byland and met Zajjasu’s forces at the edge of the Deepwood.  Osbeorn’s army routed Zajjasu completely and by the end of the engagement had secured the entirety of the Deepwood under southern control.  Some have speculated that Osbeorn took the Deepwood as an insult to Godwine who had precipitated the entire crisis when he had set out to do so five years earlier. In the north, Leofric sent a host to engage an army attempting to invade through the Upgang Pass. Leofric sent a local militia commander named Weland who had impressed Leofric with his skill.  Weland was also from near the pass and his knowledge of the pass helped him to defeat a force that outnumbered his two-to-one. Leofric himself took a great army and marched south toward Folkhame.  Godwine had foolishly believed that the intervention was turning the tide and so had sent two armies out of Folkhame to retake the south and west vales.  A separate force from Brandwyck intercepted Godwine’s western host and fought a battle there that, while not decisive, did cause the force to retreat back to Folkhame.  A second royalist force traveled along the Tidewater but was constantly harassed by southern forces as they made their way south and were never able to meet up with the interventionist forces as had been hoped.  In fact, the intervention only served to stoke the fires of rebellion among the towns and cities of Greatvale, for now it was clear that Godwine was in league with Greatvale's enemies.  And while most were wise enough to realize that the foreign powers were doing this to advance their own interests, the symbolism of their king fighting alongside foreign forces to oppress his own people was too powerful to ignore and served to galvanize the entire rebellion. On the 10th day of [[Midmath]] 112 PC, Godwine took his remaining forces from Folkhame and marched north to meet Leofric’s host that had been traveling south along the east shore of the Tidewater. ===Campaign’s End (111-110 PC)=== On the 15th day of Regenmath 111 PC, Godwine’s armies engaged Leofric’s host at the north ford of the Tidewater.  In a battle that lasted two days, Leofric defeated Godwine who took his army and fled west to the Westvale Mountains.  Leofric followed in pursuit, stopping only to establish a garrison at Folkhame.  Leofric left strict instruction that no one was to be harmed in the city, that the boroughmoot was to be restored to power and that the provision of the people’s material need should be a priority.  What few members of the Ealdormoot who remained convened at the same time and disavowed all the decrees against Leofric and Osbeorn that they had issued under Godwine’s direction. Leofric continued west in pursuit of Godwine only to encounter another royalist force in the midvale. This force had been the one previously sent west and defeated by another northern army the previous year. This army was utterly destroyed.  Most of the soldiers fled dropping their weapons and casting off what armor they had as they ran.  Those who remained to fight were vastly outmatched by a better led army, and one with a far higher morale.  In fact, many of the residents of the region, remembering the King’s March, joined with Leofric’s forces as the battle raged or served as pickets around the battlefield, capturing fleeing royalist soldiers. In the end, Leofric continued his march west with surprisingly few casualties. At the base of the Heofodbend Mountain, he was joined by the northern host and by Osbeorn’s army, returned from the Deepwood, minus a border garrison. Godwine had entrenched himself up the mountain at the Crown’s Keep and been joined by the remnants of another royalist host that had been sent into the south without success. Leofric and Osbeorn longed for war to be over, but they knew that an assault on the keep would be a disaster and would cost thousands of men.  The forces of north and south began to lay siege on the keep. By Cyrtenmath, the siege was entering its sixth month without an end in sight.  Leofric and Osbeorn’s forces had constructed impressive siege equipment and were in the midst of planning a massive assault to take the keep and end the war once and for all when a strange visitor begged entrance into the camp.  An old man dressed simply in black sackcloth, begged an audience with the generals.  After having the man searched for any weapons, they admitted him into their presence. He identified himself as Kyrion Halfmage of House Akkadon, the royal house of Carmadh, and a member of the Order of the Sun. He offered a solution to the impasse: the gates of the Crown Keep would open and the soldiers of Godwine’s army would be allowed to return to their homes in exchange for an oath of fealty to Leofric and Osbeorn.  Godwine himself would be allowed to live, but would spend his days in the Royal Crypt under the care of the Order of the Sun.  The Order of the Sun would be granted perpetual dominion over the crypt in exchange for the House of Wulfred dropping any claim to the throne of Greatvale. Leofric responded that the soldiers of Godwine’s army must swear oaths of fealty not to them but to the Ealdormoot of Greatvale.  Osbeorn insisted that all royal and noble houses drop claims to the throne of Greatvale and insisted that the throne itself accompany Godwine into the tomb.  Kyrion Halfmage was startled by these demands and replied, “Then who shall be king?” “No one,” was the joint reply. Halfmage agreed to the terms as laid out by Leofric and Osbeorn and left the camp. Within a week’s time, the first of the defenders of Crown’s Keep began to emerge, each dropping their weapons as they descended the slope of the mountain, giving the place the name Spear’s Fall.  After the army was entirely disbanded, Kyrion Halfmage emerged from the keep with four attendants and another man now dressed only in black sackcloth.  As the man walked by, it was clear that this was Godwine III Beorcyning. Many of the soldiers of the combined armies spat on the ground as he walked by. Others shouted curses or hurled mud and dirt.  But no one unsheathed a sword or lowered a spear: Leofric and Osbeorn had been clear in their orders. Joining in the procession was a cart that had come from Folkhame, bearing the throne of the king.  The jeers for the chair were almost as loud as the jeers for Godwine and many of the soldiers offered grass to the oxen bearing the cart as a sign of camaraderie in the service of liberating the land of the king. As they procession left the armies’ combined camp, Osbeorn asked his steward what food they had available to feast with. The steward replied that because they were preparing to break camp, most of the provisions had been stowed; all they had at hand were a few loaves of bread and some dates. Osbeorn replied, “There was never so sweet a feast as the one of bread and dates that we shall share tonight.”  He and Leofric shared this meal with their stewards, whom they insisted join them in the feast, not as servants, but as brothers-in-arms. A special honor guard accompanied the men from the Order of the Sun on their long march to the Royal Crypt, both to protect them from harm and to ensure that they went inside. Once Kyrion and Godwine and their party entered the Tomb, the door was locked from the inside and the guard took position around the entrance.  A peasant girl brought a wreath to lay at the tomb. Reports vary but some claim this was Leafday Sceaphyrd, the youngest daughter of Swithin Sceaphyrd of Oxbridge.  When the soldiers asked her, “You’re not laying that wreath for Godwine, are you?” she replied, “No, for all those who lost their lives because of Godwine.” “Good,” said one soldier, “because that king was insane.” “No,” she replied, “Kingship is insane.” ==Establishment of the Folkdeed of Greatvale== Leofric and Osbeorn returned to Folkhame but disbanded the bulk of their armies on the way, telling each man to return to his home, tend his flocks or fields. Only garrison forces were left to safeguard important locations. When Leofric and Osbeorn entered into the chambers of the Ealdormoot, they did so in civilian clothing, shocking the members of the Ealdormoot who had expected to find themselves under the thumb of their new liberators. Leofric had summoned the members of the boroughmoot of Brandwyck, and Osbeorn those of Fiscerehæfen to participate in the session. Each delegation having been instructed to seek to extend the folkdeed across all the lands of Greatvale. Leofric stood before them and said, “My countrymen and women, the people of Greatvale are finally free of tyranny. Do not pick up the broken shards of the past; forge something new.  Now that all the royal and noble houses have quit their claims on the throne, Greatvale truly belongs to her people. You have an opportunity to give them a government worthy of their suffering and sacrifice.” Over the ensuring weeks, the reorganization of Greatvale was deliberated and ultimately decided upon in the fashion it is known today.  Leofric and Osbeorn were elected the first two Rædgivers of the Folkdeed and Frithuswith was elected its first Witeger. The election of three nobles to these important posts at first appeared to undermine the Folkdeed’s assertion of equality, but many understood this as important buy-in by the nobles for the cause of the Folkdeed.  Leofric, Osbeorn, and Frithuswith were also the first to ritually disinherit their sons at the age of seventeen, establishing a custom for those who held the offices of Rædgiver and Witeger, a custom that would eventually also include the Ealdormoot, and finally, all of Greatvale.  Leofric and Osbeorn served out their terms before being succeeded by two commoners.  Leofric and Osbeorn would be elected to Rædgiver again over their careers in public life, but would only serve together for this first two-year period. Frithuswith, despite her frequent criticism of Leofric and Osbeorn in their roles as Rædgivers, would remain close friends with both men the rest of their lives. ==Legacy of the Long Campaign== There were those who lamented the length of the war and the cost of life, but others were quick to note that the Long Campaign had given Greatvale sufficient time to let go of its past and to imagine something new.  The Long Campaign had also cemented anti-monarchist sentiment in the population, such that when the Ealdormoot placed the proposed plan before the people, few objected that it lacked a king. Others have noted that had the Folkdeed not been born in such circumstances and placed in the crucible of the Long Campaign, it could never have survived the Catastrophe or the Lost Time that followed. [[Category:Events]] f92b87e16d768920060e794f71576216fba9b999 121 120 2014-03-16T18:35:40Z Schaef 3364594 /* Leofric’s Rebellion */ wikitext text/x-wiki The Long Campaign is the name given to the nine-year long civil war that removed the Last King of [[Greatvale]] and established the republic known as the [[Folkdeed of Greatvale]]. ==Background== In the year 120 PC, Archon Zajjasu of Carmadh celebrated the tenth year of his reign with a hunting party.  This hunting party attracted some of the great nobles and leaders of the western Sunrise Lands. Notably absent from the invitation was King Godwine III Beorncyning of Greatvale, though few were surprised by this, as relations between Carmadh and Greatvale were cool at the time. Zajjasu took his hunting party along the western side of the Kiting Mountains, the name by which Carmadh refers to the Westvale Mountains.  Toward the end of the expedition, Zajjasu led his party into the Deepwood, the forest to the south of the Westvale Mountains that marks the boundary between Carmadh and Greatvale. Although at this time the border had never been firmly established between the two realms, the woods were considered something of a “neutral zone” between the kingdoms, available for ordinary use by the people, but off limits for military or commercial use. When Godwine became aware of Zajjasu’s party’s presence in the Deepwood, the slight of his non-invitation became insult.  He declared that Carmadh’s presence in the Deepwood was an affront to all of Greatvale and especially to the honor of his house. To announce his response, he spoke before the Ealdormoot, many of whom were skeptical, but since Godwine merely convened the gathering to declare his intention rather than seek their counsel, their opinions were largely irrelevant. This followed a long pattern of erratic behavior on the part of Godwine and his increasing indifference toward the opinions of the nobles and aristocrats who made up the Ealdormoot. On the first day of [[Lenctenmath]] 118 PC, Godwine led a great host out from Folkhame toward the Deepwood to engage Zajjasu and to secure the Deepwood once and for all as Greatvale territory. On the way west, the army camped outside the town of Oxbridge, near the farm of Swithin Sceaphyrd, a commoner landholder.  During the encampment, the men of Godwine’s host resupplied themselves with the produce of Sceaphyrd’s farm, slaughtered his flocks, and at one point, seized his daughters for the “comfort” of the troops.  Sceaphyrd pleaded to the king for justice for his daughters and restitution for his lost crops and livestock.  The king rejected Sceaphyrd’s plea and sent him away. The king was reported to have said, “The problems of peasants are nothing when the honor of kings is at stake.” Devastated, Sceaphyrd went to the Boroughmoot of Oxbridge and requested their aid.  The Boroughmoot authorized their Ealdorman, Hrothgar of Wildewood, himself a cousin to Godwine, to petition the King for mercy through the Ealdormoot. Ealdor Hrothgar was in Oxbridge at the time and agreed to speak to his cousin for restitution and return of the girls. When Hrothgar appeared before the king, Godwine became so incensed that his judgment was being questioned, by his kin and his subjects, that he had Hrothgar arrested as a traitor and bound in irons.  He then dispatched a legion to raze Oxbridge to the ground as a “town in rebellion.” Swithun Sceaphyrd and his family were all executed as sympathizers to the Carmadh cause, though it is sometimes believed that one of his daughters escaped.  Every member of the Boroughmoot was nailed to the walls of Oxbridge before they were set on fire. ==Leofric’s Rebellion== Leofric of Brandwyck, a Hundredman in Godwine’s army was witness to the razing of Oxbridge as he rode with some of his officers on sentry around the camp.  Having become convinced that the king, after a long history of erratic behavior, had in fact gone mad, he and his officers rode as fast as they could back to Folkhame with news of the destruction of Oxbridge. The Ealdormoot was greatly distressed to hear the news, but opted to take no action—half of the members were either kin or appointees of the king. Many even criticized Leofric for raising the matter during a time of national crisis, a crisis, Leofric noted, that had been started by this same mad king. Leofric took the curious, and at the time, novel action of resigning his commission to the Ealdormoot rather than to the king, saying that his honor as a soldier would not allow him to continue to serve a king who was enemy to his own subjects.  He would not speak on behalf of his officers, but all of them followed suit and resigned before the Ealdormoot. Leofric and his officers rode north headed toward Brandwyck.  En route they were intercepted by a rider who bore a surprising message: a number of the Ealdormen and -women shared Leofric’s concerns about the king and wished to meet with him.  A day later, in a back room at the Fly &amp; Eel Inn, Leofric and his men met with Æthelræd of Whitshollow, Frithuswith of Northmarch, and Hereweald of Eoford. The members of the Ealdormoot told Leofric that they had had some concerns about the king for some time, noting that his edicts had grown more and more erratic and that this entire venture against Carmadh was forced down the Ealdormoot’s throat.  As the conversation went late into the night, the list of the king’s follies and crimes grew longer and longer as the Ealdors shared what they knew.  At each report, Leofric became more and more disturbed and agitated. Finally, Æthelræd stated bluntly, “The king is insane,” to which Leofric famously replied: S<em>e cyning is ne wodseoc; cyningscipe biđ wodseoc</em> - ”The king is not insane; king<em>ship </em>is insane.” He went on to note the injustices perpetrated by practically every king after King Cynric I, even the kings they considered “good”, and noted that it was the entire structure that bred this kind of evil.  Some of his officers shared stories of horrors from neighboring realms.  And every once in a while one of the company would simply utter: “The king is not insane; kingship is insane.” As they paused at one point, simply to reflect on what had been said, Frithuswith sat forward in her chair and asked: “Who is Greatvale for, in the end? The King or the people?” Leofric stood and announced his intention to continue his ride north and there to rally the people to declare a free state independent of the crown. The Ealdors agreed that they would return to Folkhame to try to discern how many of the Ealdormoot would support such action. [[File:lc.png|200px|thumb|right|Leofric's fortifications]] Leofric rode north to Brandwyck and shared with the Boroughmoot what had taken place in Oxbridge and the other reports of the king’s misdeeds. The Boroughmoot reacted with horror but were reluctant to take action. “What course do we have available to us?” one member reportedly asked. “Shall we set up for ourselves a king in the north against whom some later valiant son will have to rebel?” Leofric replied, “There will be no king in the north, and if the fates are with us, there will be no king in the south. Our task is to create a work of the people, a <em>folkdeed</em>.” The Boroughmoot affirmed the idea and on the 12th day of Blostmath 118 PC, the free and independent Folkdeed of Northvale was declared.  Leofric was offered the post of Lord Protector but declined, arguing that he could better support the new state as a general and pleaded with the Boroughmoot to govern as a council.  In later years, Leofric is reported to have said, “Had I taken the office, even though it have a different title, I would have been a king; and I had seen enough of kingship to know that I was not strong enough a man to resist its corruptions.” Leofric went to the neighboring estates and holdfasts, personally appealing for support. It was said that such was Leofric’s passion, valor, and charm that he often persuaded people within the first minutes of his conversation with them.  Within a month the whole of the Northvale and the Northmarch had allied themselves with the fledgling state in Brandwyck.  Leofric proved an impressive commander and within a few weeks had established defenses for the new realm that were the rival of anything the Kingdom had ever produced. ==The Campaign== ===The King’s March (118-116 PC)=== When King Godwine was told of what had happened in Brandwyck he was outraged.  He quickly broke camp and returned to Folkhame with his entire army, save a couple of legions to guard the frontier, which he still believed was about to be invaded by Carmadh. When he arrived in Folkhame, he disbanded the Ealdormoot and placed many of the members under house arrest. Godwine believed that Brandwyck could never have done what it did without either aid or encouragement from the Ealdormoot and set out to determine who in the council had betrayed him. [[File:lc1.png|200px|thumb|right|The King's March]] While the Kingdom of Greatvale had never been anything remotely resembling a participatory democracy, the Ealdormoot had long been a respected advisory body, and helped the nobles to feel involved in the kingdom and giving them a sense of ownership.  Now, those same nobles were being rounded up and imprisoned by the king and his agents.  Æthelræd of Whitshollow was thrown into a dungeon and eventually died under torture.  Frithuswith of Northmarch and Hereweald of Eoford were able to escape Folkhame and were taken north by agents of Leofric. Godwine’s measures in Folkhame were brutal and achieved a measure of success; all dissension was quelled in the capital and when the Ealdormoot was eventually reconvened, it declared all of Godwine’s actions to be legal and necessary in defense of the realm.  They declared the Northvale and Northmarch as territories in rebellion and as traitors deserving of death. Any member of the Ealdormoot who was not in attendance or who would not sign a proxy letter was declared anathema and placed under an order of condemnation. Godwine dismissed Folkhome’s boroughmoot and left a governor in charge of the city. Feeling that the situation in Folkhame had been stabilized, he took his army north into the surrounding countryside to root out rebel sympathizers. There was no method to the king’s effort to root out enemies of the crown.  At times he appeared to select targets on a whim, burning down farms and even entire villages because he <em>knew</em> they had to be part of this rebellion. For two years, Godwine’s army terrorized the central valley on either side of the Great Tidewater. Entreaties by the Ealdormoot to return to Folkhome and take his place on the throne were ignored. In all this time, Godwine made not one attempt to enter the lands that had declared independence.  All of his activity took place on land that was considered to be loyal. Over the course of the King’s March, it is believed that some 30,000 Greatvalers died at the hands of the king’s army. ===The Siege of the North (116-114 PC)=== Having been satisfied that the lands behind him were now free of treason, Godwine set his eyes on the north country.  In Sonnemath of 116, he led his host north along the Great Tidewater toward Brandwyck.  Leofric had by this time erected fortifications all along the ridge line, preserving the high vale territories, on which much grain could be grown, but also the mills of the the upper Tidewater.  Had Godwine marched north immediately, rather than needlessly terrorizing the southern and central countryside, he would have caught the Folkdeed in a much more disadvantaged state. As it was, the king’s host was prevented from moving further up the valley; the fortifications were sufficient to hold Godwine’s advance but not to drive it back completely.  One of the great strengths of the Kingdom of Greatvale is that the entire geography is something of a fortress. The mountain that surround the valley are exceptionally difficult to cross in great numbers and the safe passes are few.  Godwine decided to use this to his advantage.  He decided to lay siege to Northvale and starve them out. He dispatched two legions to secure the passes to the north and northeast of the vale. In one case, he illegally sent troops over foreign soil to block the pass from the back end. Leofric dispatched as many forces as he could to defend the passes from incursion, but knew he did not have enough strength to dislodge the king’s troops and maintain the defenses along his southern fortifications.  The Brandwyck boroughmoot established programs to store food as best as possible. Great storehouses were constructed for grain. A woman named Hilda, widow to Eadmund Fiscere, led a band of people north into the mountains to carve out great chunks of ice and bring them down into the vale by sledge. They placed these large pieces of ice in the ground and built structures over them.  These “Hilda’s Iceboxes” became huge storage centers for fish from Lake Sworetunga  and other perishable produce of the region. Initially, people were asked to sacrifice a meal a day to save on food and then two; by the end of the siege, these conditions would be considered feasting. The winter of 116-115 PC was relatively mild with a late fall and an early spring. Food production was diminished but was still able to provide for the people of Northvale.  The winter of 115-114 PC was brutal and early frosts were hard on fruit trees.  The depth of the ice on Lake Sworetunga made fishing difficult and the yields of fish were much lower that year.  In addition, Godwine sent raiding parties across the frontier to set fire to fields just before harvest, devastating entire communities.  This, in turn, led to the development of the Folkeored, a mounted regiment who could patrol the farmlands and respond quickly to any reports of firing of fields.  The Folkeored was ultimately able to capture or kill most of those who came on raiding parties but not before those parties exacted a heavy toll. ===Rebellion in the South (114 – 113 PC)=== Ultimately, the rescue of the north did not come from Leofric’s armies or the Folkeored, but from the peoples of the south.  The siege on Northvale had had disastrous effects on the economies of the south, especially the trading and merchant fleets of Fralin’s Deep.  By the second century P.C., Greatvale had established itself as a seagoing, mercantile power in the region.  There was a high demand for the quality linen and much of the produce of the northern vale.  Godwine’s siege of the north had prevented any goods from leaving and the commercial interests of the south were suffering the effects.  The southern merchants had petitioned the king repeatedly through the Ealdormoot, but as with everything else, those petitions went unheeded.  As the siege dragged on, rumblings in the south that the king was no longer a protector of the realm but a maniac bent on punishment of those who defied him began to increase.  The horrors of the King’s March were now becoming more and more well-known as reports of the king’s indiscriminate justice began to travel the realm. In Regenmath of 114, the boroughmoot of Fiscerehæfen declared itself independent of the crown even going so far as to declare themselves to be the <em>folkdeed </em>of Fiscerehæfen. Seven other coastal cities followed suit and before long were calling themselves the Folkdeed of Southvale. Town militias and other companies of volunteers were hastily put together and marched north to secure important roads and trade routes. One company marched into Wulfred’s Byland to secure important grain resources. When word of the southern rebellion reached Godwine in the north, he immediately pulled his forces back and marched on Folkhame. His advance was slowed by muddy roads and ironically by the lack of provisions in the central valley due to his harsh campaigning there two years before. By the time Godwine reached Folkhame, the city had lost half its population to flight.  Tens of thousands streamed south into the lands of the Southvale Folkdeed. The governor whom Godwine had placed in charge of Folkhome after disbanding the city’s boroughmoot, ruled with an excessively heavy hand in an effort to quell any dissent. When Godwine got to Folkhame, he found it essentially plundered, as the city’s residents had taken everything of value they could, the most valuable thing being themselves as the city’s workforce.  Godwine executed his governor for incompetence and immediately dispatched his soldiers around the city to shore up the defenses and attain provision. Godwine was still under the impression that his force was the strongest, and in strictly speaking numeric terms this may have been the case. But by this time, after four years of war that had done little to quell the northern rebellion and had succeeded in igniting a southern one, many in the royal army were demoralized.  In fact, so intent had Godwine been on quelling dissent in the broader population, that he had ignored the rising levels of dissatisfaction in his own forces.  In Hærfestmath of 114 PC, Osbeorn Swordsmith, a commander in the royal host, simply marched his legions out of the gates of Folkhame and defected en masse to the southern cause.  Osbeorn was a nobleman of a long-established house that prized honor, and like Leofric before him, decided that his honor would not allow him to serve a king who had become his subjects’ enemy.  According to the reports, took his legions outside the gates, stood before them and announced, “We are marching south to join in the defense of the southern lands from this monster of a king.  Any man who wishes to stay may do so without penalty.” According to those same reports, not a single soldier left.  Many have speculated as to why Osbeorn did not simply command his legions to take control of Folkhame itself and become king. Speculation has long focused on whether Osbeorn had the numbers to accomplish this task and has largely ignored the reality that to someone of Osbeorn’s background, such a betrayal would never have been honorable, whereas riding to the defense of an oppressed population (and one in sore need of experienced military leadership) was honorable.  One apocryphal report states that as they rode south, one of Osbeorn’s captains said to him, “The king truly is insane,” whereupon Osbeorn is said to have replied, “The king is not insane, kingship is insane.” ===The Intervention (113-112 PC)=== The ongoing crisis in Greatvale eventually became one of tremendous concern to the surrounding realms.  Godwine himself had never been popular and initially the rebellion brought comfort to some of the other powers in the region, especially to Zajjasu of Carmadh.  But as the conflict wore on, it became clear that the <em>nature </em>of the rebellion was a bigger threat than Godwine himself had ever been.  Two dissident realms had established themselves in the north and south of Greatvale and neither one had proclaimed a king. In fact, they had both declared themselves to be intentionally free of a king.  Fearing the political instability this might bring about in their own realms, the surrounding powers all sent expeditionary forces into Greatvale to shore up Godwine and help to quell the rebellions. Initially, southern forces were taken aback by the foreign intervention, and heavy losses were suffered in the initial encounters, particularly in Wulfred’s Byland and in the south-east marches below the Eastvale Mountains.  However, Osbeorn led a force into the Byland and met Zajjasu’s forces at the edge of the Deepwood.  Osbeorn’s army routed Zajjasu completely and by the end of the engagement had secured the entirety of the Deepwood under southern control.  Some have speculated that Osbeorn took the Deepwood as an insult to Godwine who had precipitated the entire crisis when he had set out to do so five years earlier. In the north, Leofric sent a host to engage an army attempting to invade through the Upgang Pass. Leofric sent a local militia commander named Weland who had impressed Leofric with his skill.  Weland was also from near the pass and his knowledge of the pass helped him to defeat a force that outnumbered his two-to-one. Leofric himself took a great army and marched south toward Folkhame.  Godwine had foolishly believed that the intervention was turning the tide and so had sent two armies out of Folkhame to retake the south and west vales.  A separate force from Brandwyck intercepted Godwine’s western host and fought a battle there that, while not decisive, did cause the force to retreat back to Folkhame.  A second royalist force traveled along the Tidewater but was constantly harassed by southern forces as they made their way south and were never able to meet up with the interventionist forces as had been hoped.  In fact, the intervention only served to stoke the fires of rebellion among the towns and cities of Greatvale, for now it was clear that Godwine was in league with Greatvale's enemies.  And while most were wise enough to realize that the foreign powers were doing this to advance their own interests, the symbolism of their king fighting alongside foreign forces to oppress his own people was too powerful to ignore and served to galvanize the entire rebellion. On the 10th day of [[Midmath]] 112 PC, Godwine took his remaining forces from Folkhame and marched north to meet Leofric’s host that had been traveling south along the east shore of the Tidewater. ===Campaign’s End (111-110 PC)=== On the 15th day of Regenmath 111 PC, Godwine’s armies engaged Leofric’s host at the north ford of the Tidewater.  In a battle that lasted two days, Leofric defeated Godwine who took his army and fled west to the Westvale Mountains.  Leofric followed in pursuit, stopping only to establish a garrison at Folkhame.  Leofric left strict instruction that no one was to be harmed in the city, that the boroughmoot was to be restored to power and that the provision of the people’s material need should be a priority.  What few members of the Ealdormoot who remained convened at the same time and disavowed all the decrees against Leofric and Osbeorn that they had issued under Godwine’s direction. Leofric continued west in pursuit of Godwine only to encounter another royalist force in the midvale. This force had been the one previously sent west and defeated by another northern army the previous year. This army was utterly destroyed.  Most of the soldiers fled dropping their weapons and casting off what armor they had as they ran.  Those who remained to fight were vastly outmatched by a better led army, and one with a far higher morale.  In fact, many of the residents of the region, remembering the King’s March, joined with Leofric’s forces as the battle raged or served as pickets around the battlefield, capturing fleeing royalist soldiers. In the end, Leofric continued his march west with surprisingly few casualties. At the base of the Heofodbend Mountain, he was joined by the northern host and by Osbeorn’s army, returned from the Deepwood, minus a border garrison. Godwine had entrenched himself up the mountain at the Crown’s Keep and been joined by the remnants of another royalist host that had been sent into the south without success. Leofric and Osbeorn longed for war to be over, but they knew that an assault on the keep would be a disaster and would cost thousands of men.  The forces of north and south began to lay siege on the keep. By Cyrtenmath, the siege was entering its sixth month without an end in sight.  Leofric and Osbeorn’s forces had constructed impressive siege equipment and were in the midst of planning a massive assault to take the keep and end the war once and for all when a strange visitor begged entrance into the camp.  An old man dressed simply in black sackcloth, begged an audience with the generals.  After having the man searched for any weapons, they admitted him into their presence. He identified himself as Kyrion Halfmage of House Akkadon, the royal house of Carmadh, and a member of the Order of the Sun. He offered a solution to the impasse: the gates of the Crown Keep would open and the soldiers of Godwine’s army would be allowed to return to their homes in exchange for an oath of fealty to Leofric and Osbeorn.  Godwine himself would be allowed to live, but would spend his days in the Royal Crypt under the care of the Order of the Sun.  The Order of the Sun would be granted perpetual dominion over the crypt in exchange for the House of Wulfred dropping any claim to the throne of Greatvale. Leofric responded that the soldiers of Godwine’s army must swear oaths of fealty not to them but to the Ealdormoot of Greatvale.  Osbeorn insisted that all royal and noble houses drop claims to the throne of Greatvale and insisted that the throne itself accompany Godwine into the tomb.  Kyrion Halfmage was startled by these demands and replied, “Then who shall be king?” “No one,” was the joint reply. Halfmage agreed to the terms as laid out by Leofric and Osbeorn and left the camp. Within a week’s time, the first of the defenders of Crown’s Keep began to emerge, each dropping their weapons as they descended the slope of the mountain, giving the place the name Spear’s Fall.  After the army was entirely disbanded, Kyrion Halfmage emerged from the keep with four attendants and another man now dressed only in black sackcloth.  As the man walked by, it was clear that this was Godwine III Beorcyning. Many of the soldiers of the combined armies spat on the ground as he walked by. Others shouted curses or hurled mud and dirt.  But no one unsheathed a sword or lowered a spear: Leofric and Osbeorn had been clear in their orders. Joining in the procession was a cart that had come from Folkhame, bearing the throne of the king.  The jeers for the chair were almost as loud as the jeers for Godwine and many of the soldiers offered grass to the oxen bearing the cart as a sign of camaraderie in the service of liberating the land of the king. As they procession left the armies’ combined camp, Osbeorn asked his steward what food they had available to feast with. The steward replied that because they were preparing to break camp, most of the provisions had been stowed; all they had at hand were a few loaves of bread and some dates. Osbeorn replied, “There was never so sweet a feast as the one of bread and dates that we shall share tonight.”  He and Leofric shared this meal with their stewards, whom they insisted join them in the feast, not as servants, but as brothers-in-arms. A special honor guard accompanied the men from the Order of the Sun on their long march to the Royal Crypt, both to protect them from harm and to ensure that they went inside. Once Kyrion and Godwine and their party entered the Tomb, the door was locked from the inside and the guard took position around the entrance.  A peasant girl brought a wreath to lay at the tomb. Reports vary but some claim this was Leafday Sceaphyrd, the youngest daughter of Swithin Sceaphyrd of Oxbridge.  When the soldiers asked her, “You’re not laying that wreath for Godwine, are you?” she replied, “No, for all those who lost their lives because of Godwine.” “Good,” said one soldier, “because that king was insane.” “No,” she replied, “Kingship is insane.” ==Establishment of the Folkdeed of Greatvale== Leofric and Osbeorn returned to Folkhame but disbanded the bulk of their armies on the way, telling each man to return to his home, tend his flocks or fields. Only garrison forces were left to safeguard important locations. When Leofric and Osbeorn entered into the chambers of the Ealdormoot, they did so in civilian clothing, shocking the members of the Ealdormoot who had expected to find themselves under the thumb of their new liberators. Leofric had summoned the members of the boroughmoot of Brandwyck, and Osbeorn those of Fiscerehæfen to participate in the session. Each delegation having been instructed to seek to extend the folkdeed across all the lands of Greatvale. Leofric stood before them and said, “My countrymen and women, the people of Greatvale are finally free of tyranny. Do not pick up the broken shards of the past; forge something new.  Now that all the royal and noble houses have quit their claims on the throne, Greatvale truly belongs to her people. You have an opportunity to give them a government worthy of their suffering and sacrifice.” Over the ensuring weeks, the reorganization of Greatvale was deliberated and ultimately decided upon in the fashion it is known today.  Leofric and Osbeorn were elected the first two Rædgivers of the Folkdeed and Frithuswith was elected its first Witeger. The election of three nobles to these important posts at first appeared to undermine the Folkdeed’s assertion of equality, but many understood this as important buy-in by the nobles for the cause of the Folkdeed.  Leofric, Osbeorn, and Frithuswith were also the first to ritually disinherit their sons at the age of seventeen, establishing a custom for those who held the offices of Rædgiver and Witeger, a custom that would eventually also include the Ealdormoot, and finally, all of Greatvale.  Leofric and Osbeorn served out their terms before being succeeded by two commoners.  Leofric and Osbeorn would be elected to Rædgiver again over their careers in public life, but would only serve together for this first two-year period. Frithuswith, despite her frequent criticism of Leofric and Osbeorn in their roles as Rædgivers, would remain close friends with both men the rest of their lives. ==Legacy of the Long Campaign== There were those who lamented the length of the war and the cost of life, but others were quick to note that the Long Campaign had given Greatvale sufficient time to let go of its past and to imagine something new.  The Long Campaign had also cemented anti-monarchist sentiment in the population, such that when the Ealdormoot placed the proposed plan before the people, few objected that it lacked a king. Others have noted that had the Folkdeed not been born in such circumstances and placed in the crucible of the Long Campaign, it could never have survived the Catastrophe or the Lost Time that followed. [[Category:Events]] 4b0eb6f3f2ababe6a76aa9f151714b592b5ccf33 122 121 2014-03-16T18:36:28Z Schaef 3364594 /* Leofric’s Rebellion */ wikitext text/x-wiki The Long Campaign is the name given to the nine-year long civil war that removed the Last King of [[Greatvale]] and established the republic known as the [[Folkdeed of Greatvale]]. ==Background== In the year 120 PC, Archon Zajjasu of Carmadh celebrated the tenth year of his reign with a hunting party.  This hunting party attracted some of the great nobles and leaders of the western Sunrise Lands. Notably absent from the invitation was King Godwine III Beorncyning of Greatvale, though few were surprised by this, as relations between Carmadh and Greatvale were cool at the time. Zajjasu took his hunting party along the western side of the Kiting Mountains, the name by which Carmadh refers to the Westvale Mountains.  Toward the end of the expedition, Zajjasu led his party into the Deepwood, the forest to the south of the Westvale Mountains that marks the boundary between Carmadh and Greatvale. Although at this time the border had never been firmly established between the two realms, the woods were considered something of a “neutral zone” between the kingdoms, available for ordinary use by the people, but off limits for military or commercial use. When Godwine became aware of Zajjasu’s party’s presence in the Deepwood, the slight of his non-invitation became insult.  He declared that Carmadh’s presence in the Deepwood was an affront to all of Greatvale and especially to the honor of his house. To announce his response, he spoke before the Ealdormoot, many of whom were skeptical, but since Godwine merely convened the gathering to declare his intention rather than seek their counsel, their opinions were largely irrelevant. This followed a long pattern of erratic behavior on the part of Godwine and his increasing indifference toward the opinions of the nobles and aristocrats who made up the Ealdormoot. On the first day of [[Lenctenmath]] 118 PC, Godwine led a great host out from Folkhame toward the Deepwood to engage Zajjasu and to secure the Deepwood once and for all as Greatvale territory. On the way west, the army camped outside the town of Oxbridge, near the farm of Swithin Sceaphyrd, a commoner landholder.  During the encampment, the men of Godwine’s host resupplied themselves with the produce of Sceaphyrd’s farm, slaughtered his flocks, and at one point, seized his daughters for the “comfort” of the troops.  Sceaphyrd pleaded to the king for justice for his daughters and restitution for his lost crops and livestock.  The king rejected Sceaphyrd’s plea and sent him away. The king was reported to have said, “The problems of peasants are nothing when the honor of kings is at stake.” Devastated, Sceaphyrd went to the Boroughmoot of Oxbridge and requested their aid.  The Boroughmoot authorized their Ealdorman, Hrothgar of Wildewood, himself a cousin to Godwine, to petition the King for mercy through the Ealdormoot. Ealdor Hrothgar was in Oxbridge at the time and agreed to speak to his cousin for restitution and return of the girls. When Hrothgar appeared before the king, Godwine became so incensed that his judgment was being questioned, by his kin and his subjects, that he had Hrothgar arrested as a traitor and bound in irons.  He then dispatched a legion to raze Oxbridge to the ground as a “town in rebellion.” Swithun Sceaphyrd and his family were all executed as sympathizers to the Carmadh cause, though it is sometimes believed that one of his daughters escaped.  Every member of the Boroughmoot was nailed to the walls of Oxbridge before they were set on fire. ==Leofric’s Rebellion== Leofric of Brandwyck, a Hundredman in Godwine’s army was witness to the razing of Oxbridge as he rode with some of his officers on sentry around the camp.  Having become convinced that the king, after a long history of erratic behavior, had in fact gone mad, he and his officers rode as fast as they could back to Folkhame with news of the destruction of Oxbridge. The Ealdormoot was greatly distressed to hear the news, but opted to take no action—half of the members were either kin or appointees of the king. Many even criticized Leofric for raising the matter during a time of national crisis, a crisis, Leofric noted, that had been started by this same mad king. Leofric took the curious, and at the time, novel action of resigning his commission to the Ealdormoot rather than to the king, saying that his honor as a soldier would not allow him to continue to serve a king who was enemy to his own subjects.  He would not speak on behalf of his officers, but all of them followed suit and resigned before the Ealdormoot. Leofric and his officers rode north headed toward Brandwyck.  En route they were intercepted by a rider who bore a surprising message: a number of the Ealdormen and -women shared Leofric’s concerns about the king and wished to meet with him.  A day later, in a back room at the Fly &amp; Eel Inn, Leofric and his men met with Æthelræd of Whitshollow, Frithuswith of Northmarch, and Hereweald of Eoford. The members of the Ealdormoot told Leofric that they had had some concerns about the king for some time, noting that his edicts had grown more and more erratic and that this entire venture against Carmadh was forced down the Ealdormoot’s throat.  As the conversation went late into the night, the list of the king’s follies and crimes grew longer and longer as the Ealdors shared what they knew.  At each report, Leofric became more and more disturbed and agitated. Finally, Æthelræd stated bluntly, “The king is insane,” to which Leofric famously replied: S<em>e cyning is ne wodseoc; cyningscipe biđ wodseoc</em> - ”The king is not insane; king<em>ship </em>is insane.” He went on to note the injustices perpetrated by practically every king after King Cynric I, even the kings they considered “good”, and noted that it was the entire structure that bred this kind of evil.  Some of his officers shared stories of horrors from neighboring realms.  And every once in a while one of the company would simply utter: “The king is not insane; kingship is insane.” As they paused at one point, simply to reflect on what had been said, Frithuswith sat forward in her chair and asked: “Who is Greatvale for, in the end? The King or the people?” Leofric stood and announced his intention to continue his ride north and there to rally the people to declare a free state independent of the crown. The Ealdors agreed that they would return to Folkhame to try to discern how many of the Ealdormoot would support such action. Leofric rode north to Brandwyck and shared with the Boroughmoot what had taken place in Oxbridge and the other reports of the king’s misdeeds. The Boroughmoot reacted with horror but were reluctant to take action. “What course do we have available to us?” one member reportedly asked. “Shall we set up for ourselves a king in the north against whom some later valiant son will have to rebel?” Leofric replied, “There will be no king in the north, and if the fates are with us, there will be no king in the south. Our task is to create a work of the people, a <em>folkdeed</em>.” The Boroughmoot affirmed the idea and on the 12th day of Blostmath 118 PC, the free and independent Folkdeed of Northvale was declared.  Leofric was offered the post of Lord Protector but declined, arguing that he could better support the new state as a general and pleaded with the Boroughmoot to govern as a council.  In later years, Leofric is reported to have said, “Had I taken the office, even though it have a different title, I would have been a king; and I had seen enough of kingship to know that I was not strong enough a man to resist its corruptions.” Leofric went to the neighboring estates and holdfasts, personally appealing for support. It was said that such was Leofric’s passion, valor, and charm that he often persuaded people within the first minutes of his conversation with them.  Within a month the whole of the Northvale and the Northmarch had allied themselves with the fledgling state in Brandwyck.  Leofric proved an impressive commander and within a few weeks had established defenses for the new realm that were the rival of anything the Kingdom had ever produced. ==The Campaign== ===The King’s March (118-116 PC)=== When King Godwine was told of what had happened in Brandwyck he was outraged.  He quickly broke camp and returned to Folkhame with his entire army, save a couple of legions to guard the frontier, which he still believed was about to be invaded by Carmadh. When he arrived in Folkhame, he disbanded the Ealdormoot and placed many of the members under house arrest. Godwine believed that Brandwyck could never have done what it did without either aid or encouragement from the Ealdormoot and set out to determine who in the council had betrayed him. [[File:lc1.png|200px|thumb|right|The King's March]] While the Kingdom of Greatvale had never been anything remotely resembling a participatory democracy, the Ealdormoot had long been a respected advisory body, and helped the nobles to feel involved in the kingdom and giving them a sense of ownership.  Now, those same nobles were being rounded up and imprisoned by the king and his agents.  Æthelræd of Whitshollow was thrown into a dungeon and eventually died under torture.  Frithuswith of Northmarch and Hereweald of Eoford were able to escape Folkhame and were taken north by agents of Leofric. Godwine’s measures in Folkhame were brutal and achieved a measure of success; all dissension was quelled in the capital and when the Ealdormoot was eventually reconvened, it declared all of Godwine’s actions to be legal and necessary in defense of the realm.  They declared the Northvale and Northmarch as territories in rebellion and as traitors deserving of death. Any member of the Ealdormoot who was not in attendance or who would not sign a proxy letter was declared anathema and placed under an order of condemnation. Godwine dismissed Folkhome’s boroughmoot and left a governor in charge of the city. Feeling that the situation in Folkhame had been stabilized, he took his army north into the surrounding countryside to root out rebel sympathizers. There was no method to the king’s effort to root out enemies of the crown.  At times he appeared to select targets on a whim, burning down farms and even entire villages because he <em>knew</em> they had to be part of this rebellion. For two years, Godwine’s army terrorized the central valley on either side of the Great Tidewater. Entreaties by the Ealdormoot to return to Folkhome and take his place on the throne were ignored. In all this time, Godwine made not one attempt to enter the lands that had declared independence.  All of his activity took place on land that was considered to be loyal. Over the course of the King’s March, it is believed that some 30,000 Greatvalers died at the hands of the king’s army. ===The Siege of the North (116-114 PC)=== Having been satisfied that the lands behind him were now free of treason, Godwine set his eyes on the north country.  In Sonnemath of 116, he led his host north along the Great Tidewater toward Brandwyck.  Leofric had by this time erected fortifications all along the ridge line, preserving the high vale territories, on which much grain could be grown, but also the mills of the the upper Tidewater.  Had Godwine marched north immediately, rather than needlessly terrorizing the southern and central countryside, he would have caught the Folkdeed in a much more disadvantaged state. As it was, the king’s host was prevented from moving further up the valley; the fortifications were sufficient to hold Godwine’s advance but not to drive it back completely.  One of the great strengths of the Kingdom of Greatvale is that the entire geography is something of a fortress. The mountain that surround the valley are exceptionally difficult to cross in great numbers and the safe passes are few.  Godwine decided to use this to his advantage.  He decided to lay siege to Northvale and starve them out. He dispatched two legions to secure the passes to the north and northeast of the vale. In one case, he illegally sent troops over foreign soil to block the pass from the back end. Leofric dispatched as many forces as he could to defend the passes from incursion, but knew he did not have enough strength to dislodge the king’s troops and maintain the defenses along his southern fortifications.  The Brandwyck boroughmoot established programs to store food as best as possible. Great storehouses were constructed for grain. A woman named Hilda, widow to Eadmund Fiscere, led a band of people north into the mountains to carve out great chunks of ice and bring them down into the vale by sledge. They placed these large pieces of ice in the ground and built structures over them.  These “Hilda’s Iceboxes” became huge storage centers for fish from Lake Sworetunga  and other perishable produce of the region. Initially, people were asked to sacrifice a meal a day to save on food and then two; by the end of the siege, these conditions would be considered feasting. The winter of 116-115 PC was relatively mild with a late fall and an early spring. Food production was diminished but was still able to provide for the people of Northvale.  The winter of 115-114 PC was brutal and early frosts were hard on fruit trees.  The depth of the ice on Lake Sworetunga made fishing difficult and the yields of fish were much lower that year.  In addition, Godwine sent raiding parties across the frontier to set fire to fields just before harvest, devastating entire communities.  This, in turn, led to the development of the Folkeored, a mounted regiment who could patrol the farmlands and respond quickly to any reports of firing of fields.  The Folkeored was ultimately able to capture or kill most of those who came on raiding parties but not before those parties exacted a heavy toll. ===Rebellion in the South (114 – 113 PC)=== Ultimately, the rescue of the north did not come from Leofric’s armies or the Folkeored, but from the peoples of the south.  The siege on Northvale had had disastrous effects on the economies of the south, especially the trading and merchant fleets of Fralin’s Deep.  By the second century P.C., Greatvale had established itself as a seagoing, mercantile power in the region.  There was a high demand for the quality linen and much of the produce of the northern vale.  Godwine’s siege of the north had prevented any goods from leaving and the commercial interests of the south were suffering the effects.  The southern merchants had petitioned the king repeatedly through the Ealdormoot, but as with everything else, those petitions went unheeded.  As the siege dragged on, rumblings in the south that the king was no longer a protector of the realm but a maniac bent on punishment of those who defied him began to increase.  The horrors of the King’s March were now becoming more and more well-known as reports of the king’s indiscriminate justice began to travel the realm. In Regenmath of 114, the boroughmoot of Fiscerehæfen declared itself independent of the crown even going so far as to declare themselves to be the <em>folkdeed </em>of Fiscerehæfen. Seven other coastal cities followed suit and before long were calling themselves the Folkdeed of Southvale. Town militias and other companies of volunteers were hastily put together and marched north to secure important roads and trade routes. One company marched into Wulfred’s Byland to secure important grain resources. When word of the southern rebellion reached Godwine in the north, he immediately pulled his forces back and marched on Folkhame. His advance was slowed by muddy roads and ironically by the lack of provisions in the central valley due to his harsh campaigning there two years before. By the time Godwine reached Folkhame, the city had lost half its population to flight.  Tens of thousands streamed south into the lands of the Southvale Folkdeed. The governor whom Godwine had placed in charge of Folkhome after disbanding the city’s boroughmoot, ruled with an excessively heavy hand in an effort to quell any dissent. When Godwine got to Folkhame, he found it essentially plundered, as the city’s residents had taken everything of value they could, the most valuable thing being themselves as the city’s workforce.  Godwine executed his governor for incompetence and immediately dispatched his soldiers around the city to shore up the defenses and attain provision. Godwine was still under the impression that his force was the strongest, and in strictly speaking numeric terms this may have been the case. But by this time, after four years of war that had done little to quell the northern rebellion and had succeeded in igniting a southern one, many in the royal army were demoralized.  In fact, so intent had Godwine been on quelling dissent in the broader population, that he had ignored the rising levels of dissatisfaction in his own forces.  In Hærfestmath of 114 PC, Osbeorn Swordsmith, a commander in the royal host, simply marched his legions out of the gates of Folkhame and defected en masse to the southern cause.  Osbeorn was a nobleman of a long-established house that prized honor, and like Leofric before him, decided that his honor would not allow him to serve a king who had become his subjects’ enemy.  According to the reports, took his legions outside the gates, stood before them and announced, “We are marching south to join in the defense of the southern lands from this monster of a king.  Any man who wishes to stay may do so without penalty.” According to those same reports, not a single soldier left.  Many have speculated as to why Osbeorn did not simply command his legions to take control of Folkhame itself and become king. Speculation has long focused on whether Osbeorn had the numbers to accomplish this task and has largely ignored the reality that to someone of Osbeorn’s background, such a betrayal would never have been honorable, whereas riding to the defense of an oppressed population (and one in sore need of experienced military leadership) was honorable.  One apocryphal report states that as they rode south, one of Osbeorn’s captains said to him, “The king truly is insane,” whereupon Osbeorn is said to have replied, “The king is not insane, kingship is insane.” ===The Intervention (113-112 PC)=== The ongoing crisis in Greatvale eventually became one of tremendous concern to the surrounding realms.  Godwine himself had never been popular and initially the rebellion brought comfort to some of the other powers in the region, especially to Zajjasu of Carmadh.  But as the conflict wore on, it became clear that the <em>nature </em>of the rebellion was a bigger threat than Godwine himself had ever been.  Two dissident realms had established themselves in the north and south of Greatvale and neither one had proclaimed a king. In fact, they had both declared themselves to be intentionally free of a king.  Fearing the political instability this might bring about in their own realms, the surrounding powers all sent expeditionary forces into Greatvale to shore up Godwine and help to quell the rebellions. Initially, southern forces were taken aback by the foreign intervention, and heavy losses were suffered in the initial encounters, particularly in Wulfred’s Byland and in the south-east marches below the Eastvale Mountains.  However, Osbeorn led a force into the Byland and met Zajjasu’s forces at the edge of the Deepwood.  Osbeorn’s army routed Zajjasu completely and by the end of the engagement had secured the entirety of the Deepwood under southern control.  Some have speculated that Osbeorn took the Deepwood as an insult to Godwine who had precipitated the entire crisis when he had set out to do so five years earlier. In the north, Leofric sent a host to engage an army attempting to invade through the Upgang Pass. Leofric sent a local militia commander named Weland who had impressed Leofric with his skill.  Weland was also from near the pass and his knowledge of the pass helped him to defeat a force that outnumbered his two-to-one. Leofric himself took a great army and marched south toward Folkhame.  Godwine had foolishly believed that the intervention was turning the tide and so had sent two armies out of Folkhame to retake the south and west vales.  A separate force from Brandwyck intercepted Godwine’s western host and fought a battle there that, while not decisive, did cause the force to retreat back to Folkhame.  A second royalist force traveled along the Tidewater but was constantly harassed by southern forces as they made their way south and were never able to meet up with the interventionist forces as had been hoped.  In fact, the intervention only served to stoke the fires of rebellion among the towns and cities of Greatvale, for now it was clear that Godwine was in league with Greatvale's enemies.  And while most were wise enough to realize that the foreign powers were doing this to advance their own interests, the symbolism of their king fighting alongside foreign forces to oppress his own people was too powerful to ignore and served to galvanize the entire rebellion. On the 10th day of [[Midmath]] 112 PC, Godwine took his remaining forces from Folkhame and marched north to meet Leofric’s host that had been traveling south along the east shore of the Tidewater. ===Campaign’s End (111-110 PC)=== On the 15th day of Regenmath 111 PC, Godwine’s armies engaged Leofric’s host at the north ford of the Tidewater.  In a battle that lasted two days, Leofric defeated Godwine who took his army and fled west to the Westvale Mountains.  Leofric followed in pursuit, stopping only to establish a garrison at Folkhame.  Leofric left strict instruction that no one was to be harmed in the city, that the boroughmoot was to be restored to power and that the provision of the people’s material need should be a priority.  What few members of the Ealdormoot who remained convened at the same time and disavowed all the decrees against Leofric and Osbeorn that they had issued under Godwine’s direction. Leofric continued west in pursuit of Godwine only to encounter another royalist force in the midvale. This force had been the one previously sent west and defeated by another northern army the previous year. This army was utterly destroyed.  Most of the soldiers fled dropping their weapons and casting off what armor they had as they ran.  Those who remained to fight were vastly outmatched by a better led army, and one with a far higher morale.  In fact, many of the residents of the region, remembering the King’s March, joined with Leofric’s forces as the battle raged or served as pickets around the battlefield, capturing fleeing royalist soldiers. In the end, Leofric continued his march west with surprisingly few casualties. At the base of the Heofodbend Mountain, he was joined by the northern host and by Osbeorn’s army, returned from the Deepwood, minus a border garrison. Godwine had entrenched himself up the mountain at the Crown’s Keep and been joined by the remnants of another royalist host that had been sent into the south without success. Leofric and Osbeorn longed for war to be over, but they knew that an assault on the keep would be a disaster and would cost thousands of men.  The forces of north and south began to lay siege on the keep. By Cyrtenmath, the siege was entering its sixth month without an end in sight.  Leofric and Osbeorn’s forces had constructed impressive siege equipment and were in the midst of planning a massive assault to take the keep and end the war once and for all when a strange visitor begged entrance into the camp.  An old man dressed simply in black sackcloth, begged an audience with the generals.  After having the man searched for any weapons, they admitted him into their presence. He identified himself as Kyrion Halfmage of House Akkadon, the royal house of Carmadh, and a member of the Order of the Sun. He offered a solution to the impasse: the gates of the Crown Keep would open and the soldiers of Godwine’s army would be allowed to return to their homes in exchange for an oath of fealty to Leofric and Osbeorn.  Godwine himself would be allowed to live, but would spend his days in the Royal Crypt under the care of the Order of the Sun.  The Order of the Sun would be granted perpetual dominion over the crypt in exchange for the House of Wulfred dropping any claim to the throne of Greatvale. Leofric responded that the soldiers of Godwine’s army must swear oaths of fealty not to them but to the Ealdormoot of Greatvale.  Osbeorn insisted that all royal and noble houses drop claims to the throne of Greatvale and insisted that the throne itself accompany Godwine into the tomb.  Kyrion Halfmage was startled by these demands and replied, “Then who shall be king?” “No one,” was the joint reply. Halfmage agreed to the terms as laid out by Leofric and Osbeorn and left the camp. Within a week’s time, the first of the defenders of Crown’s Keep began to emerge, each dropping their weapons as they descended the slope of the mountain, giving the place the name Spear’s Fall.  After the army was entirely disbanded, Kyrion Halfmage emerged from the keep with four attendants and another man now dressed only in black sackcloth.  As the man walked by, it was clear that this was Godwine III Beorcyning. Many of the soldiers of the combined armies spat on the ground as he walked by. Others shouted curses or hurled mud and dirt.  But no one unsheathed a sword or lowered a spear: Leofric and Osbeorn had been clear in their orders. Joining in the procession was a cart that had come from Folkhame, bearing the throne of the king.  The jeers for the chair were almost as loud as the jeers for Godwine and many of the soldiers offered grass to the oxen bearing the cart as a sign of camaraderie in the service of liberating the land of the king. As they procession left the armies’ combined camp, Osbeorn asked his steward what food they had available to feast with. The steward replied that because they were preparing to break camp, most of the provisions had been stowed; all they had at hand were a few loaves of bread and some dates. Osbeorn replied, “There was never so sweet a feast as the one of bread and dates that we shall share tonight.”  He and Leofric shared this meal with their stewards, whom they insisted join them in the feast, not as servants, but as brothers-in-arms. A special honor guard accompanied the men from the Order of the Sun on their long march to the Royal Crypt, both to protect them from harm and to ensure that they went inside. Once Kyrion and Godwine and their party entered the Tomb, the door was locked from the inside and the guard took position around the entrance.  A peasant girl brought a wreath to lay at the tomb. Reports vary but some claim this was Leafday Sceaphyrd, the youngest daughter of Swithin Sceaphyrd of Oxbridge.  When the soldiers asked her, “You’re not laying that wreath for Godwine, are you?” she replied, “No, for all those who lost their lives because of Godwine.” “Good,” said one soldier, “because that king was insane.” “No,” she replied, “Kingship is insane.” ==Establishment of the Folkdeed of Greatvale== Leofric and Osbeorn returned to Folkhame but disbanded the bulk of their armies on the way, telling each man to return to his home, tend his flocks or fields. Only garrison forces were left to safeguard important locations. When Leofric and Osbeorn entered into the chambers of the Ealdormoot, they did so in civilian clothing, shocking the members of the Ealdormoot who had expected to find themselves under the thumb of their new liberators. Leofric had summoned the members of the boroughmoot of Brandwyck, and Osbeorn those of Fiscerehæfen to participate in the session. Each delegation having been instructed to seek to extend the folkdeed across all the lands of Greatvale. Leofric stood before them and said, “My countrymen and women, the people of Greatvale are finally free of tyranny. Do not pick up the broken shards of the past; forge something new.  Now that all the royal and noble houses have quit their claims on the throne, Greatvale truly belongs to her people. You have an opportunity to give them a government worthy of their suffering and sacrifice.” Over the ensuring weeks, the reorganization of Greatvale was deliberated and ultimately decided upon in the fashion it is known today.  Leofric and Osbeorn were elected the first two Rædgivers of the Folkdeed and Frithuswith was elected its first Witeger. The election of three nobles to these important posts at first appeared to undermine the Folkdeed’s assertion of equality, but many understood this as important buy-in by the nobles for the cause of the Folkdeed.  Leofric, Osbeorn, and Frithuswith were also the first to ritually disinherit their sons at the age of seventeen, establishing a custom for those who held the offices of Rædgiver and Witeger, a custom that would eventually also include the Ealdormoot, and finally, all of Greatvale.  Leofric and Osbeorn served out their terms before being succeeded by two commoners.  Leofric and Osbeorn would be elected to Rædgiver again over their careers in public life, but would only serve together for this first two-year period. Frithuswith, despite her frequent criticism of Leofric and Osbeorn in their roles as Rædgivers, would remain close friends with both men the rest of their lives. ==Legacy of the Long Campaign== There were those who lamented the length of the war and the cost of life, but others were quick to note that the Long Campaign had given Greatvale sufficient time to let go of its past and to imagine something new.  The Long Campaign had also cemented anti-monarchist sentiment in the population, such that when the Ealdormoot placed the proposed plan before the people, few objected that it lacked a king. Others have noted that had the Folkdeed not been born in such circumstances and placed in the crucible of the Long Campaign, it could never have survived the Catastrophe or the Lost Time that followed. [[Category:Events]] f92b87e16d768920060e794f71576216fba9b999 123 122 2014-03-16T18:36:48Z Schaef 3364594 /* The Siege of the North (116-114 PC) */ wikitext text/x-wiki The Long Campaign is the name given to the nine-year long civil war that removed the Last King of [[Greatvale]] and established the republic known as the [[Folkdeed of Greatvale]]. ==Background== In the year 120 PC, Archon Zajjasu of Carmadh celebrated the tenth year of his reign with a hunting party.  This hunting party attracted some of the great nobles and leaders of the western Sunrise Lands. Notably absent from the invitation was King Godwine III Beorncyning of Greatvale, though few were surprised by this, as relations between Carmadh and Greatvale were cool at the time. Zajjasu took his hunting party along the western side of the Kiting Mountains, the name by which Carmadh refers to the Westvale Mountains.  Toward the end of the expedition, Zajjasu led his party into the Deepwood, the forest to the south of the Westvale Mountains that marks the boundary between Carmadh and Greatvale. Although at this time the border had never been firmly established between the two realms, the woods were considered something of a “neutral zone” between the kingdoms, available for ordinary use by the people, but off limits for military or commercial use. When Godwine became aware of Zajjasu’s party’s presence in the Deepwood, the slight of his non-invitation became insult.  He declared that Carmadh’s presence in the Deepwood was an affront to all of Greatvale and especially to the honor of his house. To announce his response, he spoke before the Ealdormoot, many of whom were skeptical, but since Godwine merely convened the gathering to declare his intention rather than seek their counsel, their opinions were largely irrelevant. This followed a long pattern of erratic behavior on the part of Godwine and his increasing indifference toward the opinions of the nobles and aristocrats who made up the Ealdormoot. On the first day of [[Lenctenmath]] 118 PC, Godwine led a great host out from Folkhame toward the Deepwood to engage Zajjasu and to secure the Deepwood once and for all as Greatvale territory. On the way west, the army camped outside the town of Oxbridge, near the farm of Swithin Sceaphyrd, a commoner landholder.  During the encampment, the men of Godwine’s host resupplied themselves with the produce of Sceaphyrd’s farm, slaughtered his flocks, and at one point, seized his daughters for the “comfort” of the troops.  Sceaphyrd pleaded to the king for justice for his daughters and restitution for his lost crops and livestock.  The king rejected Sceaphyrd’s plea and sent him away. The king was reported to have said, “The problems of peasants are nothing when the honor of kings is at stake.” Devastated, Sceaphyrd went to the Boroughmoot of Oxbridge and requested their aid.  The Boroughmoot authorized their Ealdorman, Hrothgar of Wildewood, himself a cousin to Godwine, to petition the King for mercy through the Ealdormoot. Ealdor Hrothgar was in Oxbridge at the time and agreed to speak to his cousin for restitution and return of the girls. When Hrothgar appeared before the king, Godwine became so incensed that his judgment was being questioned, by his kin and his subjects, that he had Hrothgar arrested as a traitor and bound in irons.  He then dispatched a legion to raze Oxbridge to the ground as a “town in rebellion.” Swithun Sceaphyrd and his family were all executed as sympathizers to the Carmadh cause, though it is sometimes believed that one of his daughters escaped.  Every member of the Boroughmoot was nailed to the walls of Oxbridge before they were set on fire. ==Leofric’s Rebellion== Leofric of Brandwyck, a Hundredman in Godwine’s army was witness to the razing of Oxbridge as he rode with some of his officers on sentry around the camp.  Having become convinced that the king, after a long history of erratic behavior, had in fact gone mad, he and his officers rode as fast as they could back to Folkhame with news of the destruction of Oxbridge. The Ealdormoot was greatly distressed to hear the news, but opted to take no action—half of the members were either kin or appointees of the king. Many even criticized Leofric for raising the matter during a time of national crisis, a crisis, Leofric noted, that had been started by this same mad king. Leofric took the curious, and at the time, novel action of resigning his commission to the Ealdormoot rather than to the king, saying that his honor as a soldier would not allow him to continue to serve a king who was enemy to his own subjects.  He would not speak on behalf of his officers, but all of them followed suit and resigned before the Ealdormoot. Leofric and his officers rode north headed toward Brandwyck.  En route they were intercepted by a rider who bore a surprising message: a number of the Ealdormen and -women shared Leofric’s concerns about the king and wished to meet with him.  A day later, in a back room at the Fly &amp; Eel Inn, Leofric and his men met with Æthelræd of Whitshollow, Frithuswith of Northmarch, and Hereweald of Eoford. The members of the Ealdormoot told Leofric that they had had some concerns about the king for some time, noting that his edicts had grown more and more erratic and that this entire venture against Carmadh was forced down the Ealdormoot’s throat.  As the conversation went late into the night, the list of the king’s follies and crimes grew longer and longer as the Ealdors shared what they knew.  At each report, Leofric became more and more disturbed and agitated. Finally, Æthelræd stated bluntly, “The king is insane,” to which Leofric famously replied: S<em>e cyning is ne wodseoc; cyningscipe biđ wodseoc</em> - ”The king is not insane; king<em>ship </em>is insane.” He went on to note the injustices perpetrated by practically every king after King Cynric I, even the kings they considered “good”, and noted that it was the entire structure that bred this kind of evil.  Some of his officers shared stories of horrors from neighboring realms.  And every once in a while one of the company would simply utter: “The king is not insane; kingship is insane.” As they paused at one point, simply to reflect on what had been said, Frithuswith sat forward in her chair and asked: “Who is Greatvale for, in the end? The King or the people?” Leofric stood and announced his intention to continue his ride north and there to rally the people to declare a free state independent of the crown. The Ealdors agreed that they would return to Folkhame to try to discern how many of the Ealdormoot would support such action. Leofric rode north to Brandwyck and shared with the Boroughmoot what had taken place in Oxbridge and the other reports of the king’s misdeeds. The Boroughmoot reacted with horror but were reluctant to take action. “What course do we have available to us?” one member reportedly asked. “Shall we set up for ourselves a king in the north against whom some later valiant son will have to rebel?” Leofric replied, “There will be no king in the north, and if the fates are with us, there will be no king in the south. Our task is to create a work of the people, a <em>folkdeed</em>.” The Boroughmoot affirmed the idea and on the 12th day of Blostmath 118 PC, the free and independent Folkdeed of Northvale was declared.  Leofric was offered the post of Lord Protector but declined, arguing that he could better support the new state as a general and pleaded with the Boroughmoot to govern as a council.  In later years, Leofric is reported to have said, “Had I taken the office, even though it have a different title, I would have been a king; and I had seen enough of kingship to know that I was not strong enough a man to resist its corruptions.” Leofric went to the neighboring estates and holdfasts, personally appealing for support. It was said that such was Leofric’s passion, valor, and charm that he often persuaded people within the first minutes of his conversation with them.  Within a month the whole of the Northvale and the Northmarch had allied themselves with the fledgling state in Brandwyck.  Leofric proved an impressive commander and within a few weeks had established defenses for the new realm that were the rival of anything the Kingdom had ever produced. ==The Campaign== ===The King’s March (118-116 PC)=== When King Godwine was told of what had happened in Brandwyck he was outraged.  He quickly broke camp and returned to Folkhame with his entire army, save a couple of legions to guard the frontier, which he still believed was about to be invaded by Carmadh. When he arrived in Folkhame, he disbanded the Ealdormoot and placed many of the members under house arrest. Godwine believed that Brandwyck could never have done what it did without either aid or encouragement from the Ealdormoot and set out to determine who in the council had betrayed him. [[File:lc1.png|200px|thumb|right|The King's March]] While the Kingdom of Greatvale had never been anything remotely resembling a participatory democracy, the Ealdormoot had long been a respected advisory body, and helped the nobles to feel involved in the kingdom and giving them a sense of ownership.  Now, those same nobles were being rounded up and imprisoned by the king and his agents.  Æthelræd of Whitshollow was thrown into a dungeon and eventually died under torture.  Frithuswith of Northmarch and Hereweald of Eoford were able to escape Folkhame and were taken north by agents of Leofric. Godwine’s measures in Folkhame were brutal and achieved a measure of success; all dissension was quelled in the capital and when the Ealdormoot was eventually reconvened, it declared all of Godwine’s actions to be legal and necessary in defense of the realm.  They declared the Northvale and Northmarch as territories in rebellion and as traitors deserving of death. Any member of the Ealdormoot who was not in attendance or who would not sign a proxy letter was declared anathema and placed under an order of condemnation. Godwine dismissed Folkhome’s boroughmoot and left a governor in charge of the city. Feeling that the situation in Folkhame had been stabilized, he took his army north into the surrounding countryside to root out rebel sympathizers. There was no method to the king’s effort to root out enemies of the crown.  At times he appeared to select targets on a whim, burning down farms and even entire villages because he <em>knew</em> they had to be part of this rebellion. For two years, Godwine’s army terrorized the central valley on either side of the Great Tidewater. Entreaties by the Ealdormoot to return to Folkhome and take his place on the throne were ignored. In all this time, Godwine made not one attempt to enter the lands that had declared independence.  All of his activity took place on land that was considered to be loyal. Over the course of the King’s March, it is believed that some 30,000 Greatvalers died at the hands of the king’s army. ===The Siege of the North (116-114 PC)=== Having been satisfied that the lands behind him were now free of treason, Godwine set his eyes on the north country.  In Sonnemath of 116, he led his host north along the Great Tidewater toward Brandwyck.  Leofric had by this time erected fortifications all along the ridge line, preserving the high vale territories, on which much grain could be grown, but also the mills of the the upper Tidewater.  Had Godwine marched north immediately, rather than needlessly terrorizing the southern and central countryside, he would have caught the Folkdeed in a much more disadvantaged state. As it was, the king’s host was prevented from moving further up the valley; the fortifications were sufficient to hold Godwine’s advance but not to drive it back completely.  One of the great strengths of the Kingdom of Greatvale is that the entire geography is something of a fortress. The mountain that surround the valley are exceptionally difficult to cross in great numbers and the safe passes are few.  Godwine decided to use this to his advantage.  He decided to lay siege to Northvale and starve them out. He dispatched two legions to secure the passes to the north and northeast of the vale. In one case, he illegally sent troops over foreign soil to block the pass from the back end. Leofric dispatched as many forces as he could to defend the passes from incursion, but knew he did not have enough strength to dislodge the king’s troops and maintain the defenses along his southern fortifications.  The Brandwyck boroughmoot established programs to store food as best as possible. Great storehouses were constructed for grain. A woman named Hilda, widow to Eadmund Fiscere, led a band of people north into the mountains to carve out great chunks of ice and bring them down into the vale by sledge. They placed these large pieces of ice in the ground and built structures over them.  These “Hilda’s Iceboxes” became huge storage centers for fish from Lake Sworetunga  and other perishable produce of the region. Initially, people were asked to sacrifice a meal a day to save on food and then two; by the end of the siege, these conditions would be considered feasting. [[File:lc.png|200px|thumb|right|Leofric's fortifications]] The winter of 116-115 PC was relatively mild with a late fall and an early spring. Food production was diminished but was still able to provide for the people of Northvale.  The winter of 115-114 PC was brutal and early frosts were hard on fruit trees.  The depth of the ice on Lake Sworetunga made fishing difficult and the yields of fish were much lower that year.  In addition, Godwine sent raiding parties across the frontier to set fire to fields just before harvest, devastating entire communities.  This, in turn, led to the development of the Folkeored, a mounted regiment who could patrol the farmlands and respond quickly to any reports of firing of fields.  The Folkeored was ultimately able to capture or kill most of those who came on raiding parties but not before those parties exacted a heavy toll. ===Rebellion in the South (114 – 113 PC)=== Ultimately, the rescue of the north did not come from Leofric’s armies or the Folkeored, but from the peoples of the south.  The siege on Northvale had had disastrous effects on the economies of the south, especially the trading and merchant fleets of Fralin’s Deep.  By the second century P.C., Greatvale had established itself as a seagoing, mercantile power in the region.  There was a high demand for the quality linen and much of the produce of the northern vale.  Godwine’s siege of the north had prevented any goods from leaving and the commercial interests of the south were suffering the effects.  The southern merchants had petitioned the king repeatedly through the Ealdormoot, but as with everything else, those petitions went unheeded.  As the siege dragged on, rumblings in the south that the king was no longer a protector of the realm but a maniac bent on punishment of those who defied him began to increase.  The horrors of the King’s March were now becoming more and more well-known as reports of the king’s indiscriminate justice began to travel the realm. In Regenmath of 114, the boroughmoot of Fiscerehæfen declared itself independent of the crown even going so far as to declare themselves to be the <em>folkdeed </em>of Fiscerehæfen. Seven other coastal cities followed suit and before long were calling themselves the Folkdeed of Southvale. Town militias and other companies of volunteers were hastily put together and marched north to secure important roads and trade routes. One company marched into Wulfred’s Byland to secure important grain resources. When word of the southern rebellion reached Godwine in the north, he immediately pulled his forces back and marched on Folkhame. His advance was slowed by muddy roads and ironically by the lack of provisions in the central valley due to his harsh campaigning there two years before. By the time Godwine reached Folkhame, the city had lost half its population to flight.  Tens of thousands streamed south into the lands of the Southvale Folkdeed. The governor whom Godwine had placed in charge of Folkhome after disbanding the city’s boroughmoot, ruled with an excessively heavy hand in an effort to quell any dissent. When Godwine got to Folkhame, he found it essentially plundered, as the city’s residents had taken everything of value they could, the most valuable thing being themselves as the city’s workforce.  Godwine executed his governor for incompetence and immediately dispatched his soldiers around the city to shore up the defenses and attain provision. Godwine was still under the impression that his force was the strongest, and in strictly speaking numeric terms this may have been the case. But by this time, after four years of war that had done little to quell the northern rebellion and had succeeded in igniting a southern one, many in the royal army were demoralized.  In fact, so intent had Godwine been on quelling dissent in the broader population, that he had ignored the rising levels of dissatisfaction in his own forces.  In Hærfestmath of 114 PC, Osbeorn Swordsmith, a commander in the royal host, simply marched his legions out of the gates of Folkhame and defected en masse to the southern cause.  Osbeorn was a nobleman of a long-established house that prized honor, and like Leofric before him, decided that his honor would not allow him to serve a king who had become his subjects’ enemy.  According to the reports, took his legions outside the gates, stood before them and announced, “We are marching south to join in the defense of the southern lands from this monster of a king.  Any man who wishes to stay may do so without penalty.” According to those same reports, not a single soldier left.  Many have speculated as to why Osbeorn did not simply command his legions to take control of Folkhame itself and become king. Speculation has long focused on whether Osbeorn had the numbers to accomplish this task and has largely ignored the reality that to someone of Osbeorn’s background, such a betrayal would never have been honorable, whereas riding to the defense of an oppressed population (and one in sore need of experienced military leadership) was honorable.  One apocryphal report states that as they rode south, one of Osbeorn’s captains said to him, “The king truly is insane,” whereupon Osbeorn is said to have replied, “The king is not insane, kingship is insane.” ===The Intervention (113-112 PC)=== The ongoing crisis in Greatvale eventually became one of tremendous concern to the surrounding realms.  Godwine himself had never been popular and initially the rebellion brought comfort to some of the other powers in the region, especially to Zajjasu of Carmadh.  But as the conflict wore on, it became clear that the <em>nature </em>of the rebellion was a bigger threat than Godwine himself had ever been.  Two dissident realms had established themselves in the north and south of Greatvale and neither one had proclaimed a king. In fact, they had both declared themselves to be intentionally free of a king.  Fearing the political instability this might bring about in their own realms, the surrounding powers all sent expeditionary forces into Greatvale to shore up Godwine and help to quell the rebellions. Initially, southern forces were taken aback by the foreign intervention, and heavy losses were suffered in the initial encounters, particularly in Wulfred’s Byland and in the south-east marches below the Eastvale Mountains.  However, Osbeorn led a force into the Byland and met Zajjasu’s forces at the edge of the Deepwood.  Osbeorn’s army routed Zajjasu completely and by the end of the engagement had secured the entirety of the Deepwood under southern control.  Some have speculated that Osbeorn took the Deepwood as an insult to Godwine who had precipitated the entire crisis when he had set out to do so five years earlier. In the north, Leofric sent a host to engage an army attempting to invade through the Upgang Pass. Leofric sent a local militia commander named Weland who had impressed Leofric with his skill.  Weland was also from near the pass and his knowledge of the pass helped him to defeat a force that outnumbered his two-to-one. Leofric himself took a great army and marched south toward Folkhame.  Godwine had foolishly believed that the intervention was turning the tide and so had sent two armies out of Folkhame to retake the south and west vales.  A separate force from Brandwyck intercepted Godwine’s western host and fought a battle there that, while not decisive, did cause the force to retreat back to Folkhame.  A second royalist force traveled along the Tidewater but was constantly harassed by southern forces as they made their way south and were never able to meet up with the interventionist forces as had been hoped.  In fact, the intervention only served to stoke the fires of rebellion among the towns and cities of Greatvale, for now it was clear that Godwine was in league with Greatvale's enemies.  And while most were wise enough to realize that the foreign powers were doing this to advance their own interests, the symbolism of their king fighting alongside foreign forces to oppress his own people was too powerful to ignore and served to galvanize the entire rebellion. On the 10th day of [[Midmath]] 112 PC, Godwine took his remaining forces from Folkhame and marched north to meet Leofric’s host that had been traveling south along the east shore of the Tidewater. ===Campaign’s End (111-110 PC)=== On the 15th day of Regenmath 111 PC, Godwine’s armies engaged Leofric’s host at the north ford of the Tidewater.  In a battle that lasted two days, Leofric defeated Godwine who took his army and fled west to the Westvale Mountains.  Leofric followed in pursuit, stopping only to establish a garrison at Folkhame.  Leofric left strict instruction that no one was to be harmed in the city, that the boroughmoot was to be restored to power and that the provision of the people’s material need should be a priority.  What few members of the Ealdormoot who remained convened at the same time and disavowed all the decrees against Leofric and Osbeorn that they had issued under Godwine’s direction. Leofric continued west in pursuit of Godwine only to encounter another royalist force in the midvale. This force had been the one previously sent west and defeated by another northern army the previous year. This army was utterly destroyed.  Most of the soldiers fled dropping their weapons and casting off what armor they had as they ran.  Those who remained to fight were vastly outmatched by a better led army, and one with a far higher morale.  In fact, many of the residents of the region, remembering the King’s March, joined with Leofric’s forces as the battle raged or served as pickets around the battlefield, capturing fleeing royalist soldiers. In the end, Leofric continued his march west with surprisingly few casualties. At the base of the Heofodbend Mountain, he was joined by the northern host and by Osbeorn’s army, returned from the Deepwood, minus a border garrison. Godwine had entrenched himself up the mountain at the Crown’s Keep and been joined by the remnants of another royalist host that had been sent into the south without success. Leofric and Osbeorn longed for war to be over, but they knew that an assault on the keep would be a disaster and would cost thousands of men.  The forces of north and south began to lay siege on the keep. By Cyrtenmath, the siege was entering its sixth month without an end in sight.  Leofric and Osbeorn’s forces had constructed impressive siege equipment and were in the midst of planning a massive assault to take the keep and end the war once and for all when a strange visitor begged entrance into the camp.  An old man dressed simply in black sackcloth, begged an audience with the generals.  After having the man searched for any weapons, they admitted him into their presence. He identified himself as Kyrion Halfmage of House Akkadon, the royal house of Carmadh, and a member of the Order of the Sun. He offered a solution to the impasse: the gates of the Crown Keep would open and the soldiers of Godwine’s army would be allowed to return to their homes in exchange for an oath of fealty to Leofric and Osbeorn.  Godwine himself would be allowed to live, but would spend his days in the Royal Crypt under the care of the Order of the Sun.  The Order of the Sun would be granted perpetual dominion over the crypt in exchange for the House of Wulfred dropping any claim to the throne of Greatvale. Leofric responded that the soldiers of Godwine’s army must swear oaths of fealty not to them but to the Ealdormoot of Greatvale.  Osbeorn insisted that all royal and noble houses drop claims to the throne of Greatvale and insisted that the throne itself accompany Godwine into the tomb.  Kyrion Halfmage was startled by these demands and replied, “Then who shall be king?” “No one,” was the joint reply. Halfmage agreed to the terms as laid out by Leofric and Osbeorn and left the camp. Within a week’s time, the first of the defenders of Crown’s Keep began to emerge, each dropping their weapons as they descended the slope of the mountain, giving the place the name Spear’s Fall.  After the army was entirely disbanded, Kyrion Halfmage emerged from the keep with four attendants and another man now dressed only in black sackcloth.  As the man walked by, it was clear that this was Godwine III Beorcyning. Many of the soldiers of the combined armies spat on the ground as he walked by. Others shouted curses or hurled mud and dirt.  But no one unsheathed a sword or lowered a spear: Leofric and Osbeorn had been clear in their orders. Joining in the procession was a cart that had come from Folkhame, bearing the throne of the king.  The jeers for the chair were almost as loud as the jeers for Godwine and many of the soldiers offered grass to the oxen bearing the cart as a sign of camaraderie in the service of liberating the land of the king. As they procession left the armies’ combined camp, Osbeorn asked his steward what food they had available to feast with. The steward replied that because they were preparing to break camp, most of the provisions had been stowed; all they had at hand were a few loaves of bread and some dates. Osbeorn replied, “There was never so sweet a feast as the one of bread and dates that we shall share tonight.”  He and Leofric shared this meal with their stewards, whom they insisted join them in the feast, not as servants, but as brothers-in-arms. A special honor guard accompanied the men from the Order of the Sun on their long march to the Royal Crypt, both to protect them from harm and to ensure that they went inside. Once Kyrion and Godwine and their party entered the Tomb, the door was locked from the inside and the guard took position around the entrance.  A peasant girl brought a wreath to lay at the tomb. Reports vary but some claim this was Leafday Sceaphyrd, the youngest daughter of Swithin Sceaphyrd of Oxbridge.  When the soldiers asked her, “You’re not laying that wreath for Godwine, are you?” she replied, “No, for all those who lost their lives because of Godwine.” “Good,” said one soldier, “because that king was insane.” “No,” she replied, “Kingship is insane.” ==Establishment of the Folkdeed of Greatvale== Leofric and Osbeorn returned to Folkhame but disbanded the bulk of their armies on the way, telling each man to return to his home, tend his flocks or fields. Only garrison forces were left to safeguard important locations. When Leofric and Osbeorn entered into the chambers of the Ealdormoot, they did so in civilian clothing, shocking the members of the Ealdormoot who had expected to find themselves under the thumb of their new liberators. Leofric had summoned the members of the boroughmoot of Brandwyck, and Osbeorn those of Fiscerehæfen to participate in the session. Each delegation having been instructed to seek to extend the folkdeed across all the lands of Greatvale. Leofric stood before them and said, “My countrymen and women, the people of Greatvale are finally free of tyranny. Do not pick up the broken shards of the past; forge something new.  Now that all the royal and noble houses have quit their claims on the throne, Greatvale truly belongs to her people. You have an opportunity to give them a government worthy of their suffering and sacrifice.” Over the ensuring weeks, the reorganization of Greatvale was deliberated and ultimately decided upon in the fashion it is known today.  Leofric and Osbeorn were elected the first two Rædgivers of the Folkdeed and Frithuswith was elected its first Witeger. The election of three nobles to these important posts at first appeared to undermine the Folkdeed’s assertion of equality, but many understood this as important buy-in by the nobles for the cause of the Folkdeed.  Leofric, Osbeorn, and Frithuswith were also the first to ritually disinherit their sons at the age of seventeen, establishing a custom for those who held the offices of Rædgiver and Witeger, a custom that would eventually also include the Ealdormoot, and finally, all of Greatvale.  Leofric and Osbeorn served out their terms before being succeeded by two commoners.  Leofric and Osbeorn would be elected to Rædgiver again over their careers in public life, but would only serve together for this first two-year period. Frithuswith, despite her frequent criticism of Leofric and Osbeorn in their roles as Rædgivers, would remain close friends with both men the rest of their lives. ==Legacy of the Long Campaign== There were those who lamented the length of the war and the cost of life, but others were quick to note that the Long Campaign had given Greatvale sufficient time to let go of its past and to imagine something new.  The Long Campaign had also cemented anti-monarchist sentiment in the population, such that when the Ealdormoot placed the proposed plan before the people, few objected that it lacked a king. Others have noted that had the Folkdeed not been born in such circumstances and placed in the crucible of the Long Campaign, it could never have survived the Catastrophe or the Lost Time that followed. [[Category:Events]] ed652a13e716a6af2d9963ef43ebda3a2467f2f6 124 123 2014-03-16T18:37:17Z Schaef 3364594 /* The Siege of the North (116-114 PC) */ wikitext text/x-wiki The Long Campaign is the name given to the nine-year long civil war that removed the Last King of [[Greatvale]] and established the republic known as the [[Folkdeed of Greatvale]]. ==Background== In the year 120 PC, Archon Zajjasu of Carmadh celebrated the tenth year of his reign with a hunting party.  This hunting party attracted some of the great nobles and leaders of the western Sunrise Lands. Notably absent from the invitation was King Godwine III Beorncyning of Greatvale, though few were surprised by this, as relations between Carmadh and Greatvale were cool at the time. Zajjasu took his hunting party along the western side of the Kiting Mountains, the name by which Carmadh refers to the Westvale Mountains.  Toward the end of the expedition, Zajjasu led his party into the Deepwood, the forest to the south of the Westvale Mountains that marks the boundary between Carmadh and Greatvale. Although at this time the border had never been firmly established between the two realms, the woods were considered something of a “neutral zone” between the kingdoms, available for ordinary use by the people, but off limits for military or commercial use. When Godwine became aware of Zajjasu’s party’s presence in the Deepwood, the slight of his non-invitation became insult.  He declared that Carmadh’s presence in the Deepwood was an affront to all of Greatvale and especially to the honor of his house. To announce his response, he spoke before the Ealdormoot, many of whom were skeptical, but since Godwine merely convened the gathering to declare his intention rather than seek their counsel, their opinions were largely irrelevant. This followed a long pattern of erratic behavior on the part of Godwine and his increasing indifference toward the opinions of the nobles and aristocrats who made up the Ealdormoot. On the first day of [[Lenctenmath]] 118 PC, Godwine led a great host out from Folkhame toward the Deepwood to engage Zajjasu and to secure the Deepwood once and for all as Greatvale territory. On the way west, the army camped outside the town of Oxbridge, near the farm of Swithin Sceaphyrd, a commoner landholder.  During the encampment, the men of Godwine’s host resupplied themselves with the produce of Sceaphyrd’s farm, slaughtered his flocks, and at one point, seized his daughters for the “comfort” of the troops.  Sceaphyrd pleaded to the king for justice for his daughters and restitution for his lost crops and livestock.  The king rejected Sceaphyrd’s plea and sent him away. The king was reported to have said, “The problems of peasants are nothing when the honor of kings is at stake.” Devastated, Sceaphyrd went to the Boroughmoot of Oxbridge and requested their aid.  The Boroughmoot authorized their Ealdorman, Hrothgar of Wildewood, himself a cousin to Godwine, to petition the King for mercy through the Ealdormoot. Ealdor Hrothgar was in Oxbridge at the time and agreed to speak to his cousin for restitution and return of the girls. When Hrothgar appeared before the king, Godwine became so incensed that his judgment was being questioned, by his kin and his subjects, that he had Hrothgar arrested as a traitor and bound in irons.  He then dispatched a legion to raze Oxbridge to the ground as a “town in rebellion.” Swithun Sceaphyrd and his family were all executed as sympathizers to the Carmadh cause, though it is sometimes believed that one of his daughters escaped.  Every member of the Boroughmoot was nailed to the walls of Oxbridge before they were set on fire. ==Leofric’s Rebellion== Leofric of Brandwyck, a Hundredman in Godwine’s army was witness to the razing of Oxbridge as he rode with some of his officers on sentry around the camp.  Having become convinced that the king, after a long history of erratic behavior, had in fact gone mad, he and his officers rode as fast as they could back to Folkhame with news of the destruction of Oxbridge. The Ealdormoot was greatly distressed to hear the news, but opted to take no action—half of the members were either kin or appointees of the king. Many even criticized Leofric for raising the matter during a time of national crisis, a crisis, Leofric noted, that had been started by this same mad king. Leofric took the curious, and at the time, novel action of resigning his commission to the Ealdormoot rather than to the king, saying that his honor as a soldier would not allow him to continue to serve a king who was enemy to his own subjects.  He would not speak on behalf of his officers, but all of them followed suit and resigned before the Ealdormoot. Leofric and his officers rode north headed toward Brandwyck.  En route they were intercepted by a rider who bore a surprising message: a number of the Ealdormen and -women shared Leofric’s concerns about the king and wished to meet with him.  A day later, in a back room at the Fly &amp; Eel Inn, Leofric and his men met with Æthelræd of Whitshollow, Frithuswith of Northmarch, and Hereweald of Eoford. The members of the Ealdormoot told Leofric that they had had some concerns about the king for some time, noting that his edicts had grown more and more erratic and that this entire venture against Carmadh was forced down the Ealdormoot’s throat.  As the conversation went late into the night, the list of the king’s follies and crimes grew longer and longer as the Ealdors shared what they knew.  At each report, Leofric became more and more disturbed and agitated. Finally, Æthelræd stated bluntly, “The king is insane,” to which Leofric famously replied: S<em>e cyning is ne wodseoc; cyningscipe biđ wodseoc</em> - ”The king is not insane; king<em>ship </em>is insane.” He went on to note the injustices perpetrated by practically every king after King Cynric I, even the kings they considered “good”, and noted that it was the entire structure that bred this kind of evil.  Some of his officers shared stories of horrors from neighboring realms.  And every once in a while one of the company would simply utter: “The king is not insane; kingship is insane.” As they paused at one point, simply to reflect on what had been said, Frithuswith sat forward in her chair and asked: “Who is Greatvale for, in the end? The King or the people?” Leofric stood and announced his intention to continue his ride north and there to rally the people to declare a free state independent of the crown. The Ealdors agreed that they would return to Folkhame to try to discern how many of the Ealdormoot would support such action. Leofric rode north to Brandwyck and shared with the Boroughmoot what had taken place in Oxbridge and the other reports of the king’s misdeeds. The Boroughmoot reacted with horror but were reluctant to take action. “What course do we have available to us?” one member reportedly asked. “Shall we set up for ourselves a king in the north against whom some later valiant son will have to rebel?” Leofric replied, “There will be no king in the north, and if the fates are with us, there will be no king in the south. Our task is to create a work of the people, a <em>folkdeed</em>.” The Boroughmoot affirmed the idea and on the 12th day of Blostmath 118 PC, the free and independent Folkdeed of Northvale was declared.  Leofric was offered the post of Lord Protector but declined, arguing that he could better support the new state as a general and pleaded with the Boroughmoot to govern as a council.  In later years, Leofric is reported to have said, “Had I taken the office, even though it have a different title, I would have been a king; and I had seen enough of kingship to know that I was not strong enough a man to resist its corruptions.” Leofric went to the neighboring estates and holdfasts, personally appealing for support. It was said that such was Leofric’s passion, valor, and charm that he often persuaded people within the first minutes of his conversation with them.  Within a month the whole of the Northvale and the Northmarch had allied themselves with the fledgling state in Brandwyck.  Leofric proved an impressive commander and within a few weeks had established defenses for the new realm that were the rival of anything the Kingdom had ever produced. ==The Campaign== ===The King’s March (118-116 PC)=== When King Godwine was told of what had happened in Brandwyck he was outraged.  He quickly broke camp and returned to Folkhame with his entire army, save a couple of legions to guard the frontier, which he still believed was about to be invaded by Carmadh. When he arrived in Folkhame, he disbanded the Ealdormoot and placed many of the members under house arrest. Godwine believed that Brandwyck could never have done what it did without either aid or encouragement from the Ealdormoot and set out to determine who in the council had betrayed him. [[File:lc1.png|200px|thumb|right|The King's March]] While the Kingdom of Greatvale had never been anything remotely resembling a participatory democracy, the Ealdormoot had long been a respected advisory body, and helped the nobles to feel involved in the kingdom and giving them a sense of ownership.  Now, those same nobles were being rounded up and imprisoned by the king and his agents.  Æthelræd of Whitshollow was thrown into a dungeon and eventually died under torture.  Frithuswith of Northmarch and Hereweald of Eoford were able to escape Folkhame and were taken north by agents of Leofric. Godwine’s measures in Folkhame were brutal and achieved a measure of success; all dissension was quelled in the capital and when the Ealdormoot was eventually reconvened, it declared all of Godwine’s actions to be legal and necessary in defense of the realm.  They declared the Northvale and Northmarch as territories in rebellion and as traitors deserving of death. Any member of the Ealdormoot who was not in attendance or who would not sign a proxy letter was declared anathema and placed under an order of condemnation. Godwine dismissed Folkhome’s boroughmoot and left a governor in charge of the city. Feeling that the situation in Folkhame had been stabilized, he took his army north into the surrounding countryside to root out rebel sympathizers. There was no method to the king’s effort to root out enemies of the crown.  At times he appeared to select targets on a whim, burning down farms and even entire villages because he <em>knew</em> they had to be part of this rebellion. For two years, Godwine’s army terrorized the central valley on either side of the Great Tidewater. Entreaties by the Ealdormoot to return to Folkhome and take his place on the throne were ignored. In all this time, Godwine made not one attempt to enter the lands that had declared independence.  All of his activity took place on land that was considered to be loyal. Over the course of the King’s March, it is believed that some 30,000 Greatvalers died at the hands of the king’s army. ===The Siege of the North (116-114 PC)=== Having been satisfied that the lands behind him were now free of treason, Godwine set his eyes on the north country.  In Sonnemath of 116, he led his host north along the Great Tidewater toward Brandwyck.  Leofric had by this time erected fortifications all along the ridge line, preserving the high vale territories, on which much grain could be grown, but also the mills of the the upper Tidewater.  Had Godwine marched north immediately, rather than needlessly terrorizing the southern and central countryside, he would have caught the Folkdeed in a much more disadvantaged state. As it was, the king’s host was prevented from moving further up the valley; the fortifications were sufficient to hold Godwine’s advance but not to drive it back completely.  One of the great strengths of the Kingdom of Greatvale is that the entire geography is something of a fortress. The mountain that surround the valley are exceptionally difficult to cross in great numbers and the safe passes are few.  Godwine decided to use this to his advantage.  He decided to lay siege to Northvale and starve them out. He dispatched two legions to secure the passes to the north and northeast of the vale. In one case, he illegally sent troops over foreign soil to block the pass from the back end. [[File:lc.png|200px|thumb|right|Leofric's fortifications]] Leofric dispatched as many forces as he could to defend the passes from incursion, but knew he did not have enough strength to dislodge the king’s troops and maintain the defenses along his southern fortifications.  The Brandwyck boroughmoot established programs to store food as best as possible. Great storehouses were constructed for grain. A woman named Hilda, widow to Eadmund Fiscere, led a band of people north into the mountains to carve out great chunks of ice and bring them down into the vale by sledge. They placed these large pieces of ice in the ground and built structures over them.  These “Hilda’s Iceboxes” became huge storage centers for fish from Lake Sworetunga  and other perishable produce of the region. Initially, people were asked to sacrifice a meal a day to save on food and then two; by the end of the siege, these conditions would be considered feasting. The winter of 116-115 PC was relatively mild with a late fall and an early spring. Food production was diminished but was still able to provide for the people of Northvale.  The winter of 115-114 PC was brutal and early frosts were hard on fruit trees.  The depth of the ice on Lake Sworetunga made fishing difficult and the yields of fish were much lower that year.  In addition, Godwine sent raiding parties across the frontier to set fire to fields just before harvest, devastating entire communities.  This, in turn, led to the development of the Folkeored, a mounted regiment who could patrol the farmlands and respond quickly to any reports of firing of fields.  The Folkeored was ultimately able to capture or kill most of those who came on raiding parties but not before those parties exacted a heavy toll. ===Rebellion in the South (114 – 113 PC)=== Ultimately, the rescue of the north did not come from Leofric’s armies or the Folkeored, but from the peoples of the south.  The siege on Northvale had had disastrous effects on the economies of the south, especially the trading and merchant fleets of Fralin’s Deep.  By the second century P.C., Greatvale had established itself as a seagoing, mercantile power in the region.  There was a high demand for the quality linen and much of the produce of the northern vale.  Godwine’s siege of the north had prevented any goods from leaving and the commercial interests of the south were suffering the effects.  The southern merchants had petitioned the king repeatedly through the Ealdormoot, but as with everything else, those petitions went unheeded.  As the siege dragged on, rumblings in the south that the king was no longer a protector of the realm but a maniac bent on punishment of those who defied him began to increase.  The horrors of the King’s March were now becoming more and more well-known as reports of the king’s indiscriminate justice began to travel the realm. In Regenmath of 114, the boroughmoot of Fiscerehæfen declared itself independent of the crown even going so far as to declare themselves to be the <em>folkdeed </em>of Fiscerehæfen. Seven other coastal cities followed suit and before long were calling themselves the Folkdeed of Southvale. Town militias and other companies of volunteers were hastily put together and marched north to secure important roads and trade routes. One company marched into Wulfred’s Byland to secure important grain resources. When word of the southern rebellion reached Godwine in the north, he immediately pulled his forces back and marched on Folkhame. His advance was slowed by muddy roads and ironically by the lack of provisions in the central valley due to his harsh campaigning there two years before. By the time Godwine reached Folkhame, the city had lost half its population to flight.  Tens of thousands streamed south into the lands of the Southvale Folkdeed. The governor whom Godwine had placed in charge of Folkhome after disbanding the city’s boroughmoot, ruled with an excessively heavy hand in an effort to quell any dissent. When Godwine got to Folkhame, he found it essentially plundered, as the city’s residents had taken everything of value they could, the most valuable thing being themselves as the city’s workforce.  Godwine executed his governor for incompetence and immediately dispatched his soldiers around the city to shore up the defenses and attain provision. Godwine was still under the impression that his force was the strongest, and in strictly speaking numeric terms this may have been the case. But by this time, after four years of war that had done little to quell the northern rebellion and had succeeded in igniting a southern one, many in the royal army were demoralized.  In fact, so intent had Godwine been on quelling dissent in the broader population, that he had ignored the rising levels of dissatisfaction in his own forces.  In Hærfestmath of 114 PC, Osbeorn Swordsmith, a commander in the royal host, simply marched his legions out of the gates of Folkhame and defected en masse to the southern cause.  Osbeorn was a nobleman of a long-established house that prized honor, and like Leofric before him, decided that his honor would not allow him to serve a king who had become his subjects’ enemy.  According to the reports, took his legions outside the gates, stood before them and announced, “We are marching south to join in the defense of the southern lands from this monster of a king.  Any man who wishes to stay may do so without penalty.” According to those same reports, not a single soldier left.  Many have speculated as to why Osbeorn did not simply command his legions to take control of Folkhame itself and become king. Speculation has long focused on whether Osbeorn had the numbers to accomplish this task and has largely ignored the reality that to someone of Osbeorn’s background, such a betrayal would never have been honorable, whereas riding to the defense of an oppressed population (and one in sore need of experienced military leadership) was honorable.  One apocryphal report states that as they rode south, one of Osbeorn’s captains said to him, “The king truly is insane,” whereupon Osbeorn is said to have replied, “The king is not insane, kingship is insane.” ===The Intervention (113-112 PC)=== The ongoing crisis in Greatvale eventually became one of tremendous concern to the surrounding realms.  Godwine himself had never been popular and initially the rebellion brought comfort to some of the other powers in the region, especially to Zajjasu of Carmadh.  But as the conflict wore on, it became clear that the <em>nature </em>of the rebellion was a bigger threat than Godwine himself had ever been.  Two dissident realms had established themselves in the north and south of Greatvale and neither one had proclaimed a king. In fact, they had both declared themselves to be intentionally free of a king.  Fearing the political instability this might bring about in their own realms, the surrounding powers all sent expeditionary forces into Greatvale to shore up Godwine and help to quell the rebellions. Initially, southern forces were taken aback by the foreign intervention, and heavy losses were suffered in the initial encounters, particularly in Wulfred’s Byland and in the south-east marches below the Eastvale Mountains.  However, Osbeorn led a force into the Byland and met Zajjasu’s forces at the edge of the Deepwood.  Osbeorn’s army routed Zajjasu completely and by the end of the engagement had secured the entirety of the Deepwood under southern control.  Some have speculated that Osbeorn took the Deepwood as an insult to Godwine who had precipitated the entire crisis when he had set out to do so five years earlier. In the north, Leofric sent a host to engage an army attempting to invade through the Upgang Pass. Leofric sent a local militia commander named Weland who had impressed Leofric with his skill.  Weland was also from near the pass and his knowledge of the pass helped him to defeat a force that outnumbered his two-to-one. Leofric himself took a great army and marched south toward Folkhame.  Godwine had foolishly believed that the intervention was turning the tide and so had sent two armies out of Folkhame to retake the south and west vales.  A separate force from Brandwyck intercepted Godwine’s western host and fought a battle there that, while not decisive, did cause the force to retreat back to Folkhame.  A second royalist force traveled along the Tidewater but was constantly harassed by southern forces as they made their way south and were never able to meet up with the interventionist forces as had been hoped.  In fact, the intervention only served to stoke the fires of rebellion among the towns and cities of Greatvale, for now it was clear that Godwine was in league with Greatvale's enemies.  And while most were wise enough to realize that the foreign powers were doing this to advance their own interests, the symbolism of their king fighting alongside foreign forces to oppress his own people was too powerful to ignore and served to galvanize the entire rebellion. On the 10th day of [[Midmath]] 112 PC, Godwine took his remaining forces from Folkhame and marched north to meet Leofric’s host that had been traveling south along the east shore of the Tidewater. ===Campaign’s End (111-110 PC)=== On the 15th day of Regenmath 111 PC, Godwine’s armies engaged Leofric’s host at the north ford of the Tidewater.  In a battle that lasted two days, Leofric defeated Godwine who took his army and fled west to the Westvale Mountains.  Leofric followed in pursuit, stopping only to establish a garrison at Folkhame.  Leofric left strict instruction that no one was to be harmed in the city, that the boroughmoot was to be restored to power and that the provision of the people’s material need should be a priority.  What few members of the Ealdormoot who remained convened at the same time and disavowed all the decrees against Leofric and Osbeorn that they had issued under Godwine’s direction. Leofric continued west in pursuit of Godwine only to encounter another royalist force in the midvale. This force had been the one previously sent west and defeated by another northern army the previous year. This army was utterly destroyed.  Most of the soldiers fled dropping their weapons and casting off what armor they had as they ran.  Those who remained to fight were vastly outmatched by a better led army, and one with a far higher morale.  In fact, many of the residents of the region, remembering the King’s March, joined with Leofric’s forces as the battle raged or served as pickets around the battlefield, capturing fleeing royalist soldiers. In the end, Leofric continued his march west with surprisingly few casualties. At the base of the Heofodbend Mountain, he was joined by the northern host and by Osbeorn’s army, returned from the Deepwood, minus a border garrison. Godwine had entrenched himself up the mountain at the Crown’s Keep and been joined by the remnants of another royalist host that had been sent into the south without success. Leofric and Osbeorn longed for war to be over, but they knew that an assault on the keep would be a disaster and would cost thousands of men.  The forces of north and south began to lay siege on the keep. By Cyrtenmath, the siege was entering its sixth month without an end in sight.  Leofric and Osbeorn’s forces had constructed impressive siege equipment and were in the midst of planning a massive assault to take the keep and end the war once and for all when a strange visitor begged entrance into the camp.  An old man dressed simply in black sackcloth, begged an audience with the generals.  After having the man searched for any weapons, they admitted him into their presence. He identified himself as Kyrion Halfmage of House Akkadon, the royal house of Carmadh, and a member of the Order of the Sun. He offered a solution to the impasse: the gates of the Crown Keep would open and the soldiers of Godwine’s army would be allowed to return to their homes in exchange for an oath of fealty to Leofric and Osbeorn.  Godwine himself would be allowed to live, but would spend his days in the Royal Crypt under the care of the Order of the Sun.  The Order of the Sun would be granted perpetual dominion over the crypt in exchange for the House of Wulfred dropping any claim to the throne of Greatvale. Leofric responded that the soldiers of Godwine’s army must swear oaths of fealty not to them but to the Ealdormoot of Greatvale.  Osbeorn insisted that all royal and noble houses drop claims to the throne of Greatvale and insisted that the throne itself accompany Godwine into the tomb.  Kyrion Halfmage was startled by these demands and replied, “Then who shall be king?” “No one,” was the joint reply. Halfmage agreed to the terms as laid out by Leofric and Osbeorn and left the camp. Within a week’s time, the first of the defenders of Crown’s Keep began to emerge, each dropping their weapons as they descended the slope of the mountain, giving the place the name Spear’s Fall.  After the army was entirely disbanded, Kyrion Halfmage emerged from the keep with four attendants and another man now dressed only in black sackcloth.  As the man walked by, it was clear that this was Godwine III Beorcyning. Many of the soldiers of the combined armies spat on the ground as he walked by. Others shouted curses or hurled mud and dirt.  But no one unsheathed a sword or lowered a spear: Leofric and Osbeorn had been clear in their orders. Joining in the procession was a cart that had come from Folkhame, bearing the throne of the king.  The jeers for the chair were almost as loud as the jeers for Godwine and many of the soldiers offered grass to the oxen bearing the cart as a sign of camaraderie in the service of liberating the land of the king. As they procession left the armies’ combined camp, Osbeorn asked his steward what food they had available to feast with. The steward replied that because they were preparing to break camp, most of the provisions had been stowed; all they had at hand were a few loaves of bread and some dates. Osbeorn replied, “There was never so sweet a feast as the one of bread and dates that we shall share tonight.”  He and Leofric shared this meal with their stewards, whom they insisted join them in the feast, not as servants, but as brothers-in-arms. A special honor guard accompanied the men from the Order of the Sun on their long march to the Royal Crypt, both to protect them from harm and to ensure that they went inside. Once Kyrion and Godwine and their party entered the Tomb, the door was locked from the inside and the guard took position around the entrance.  A peasant girl brought a wreath to lay at the tomb. Reports vary but some claim this was Leafday Sceaphyrd, the youngest daughter of Swithin Sceaphyrd of Oxbridge.  When the soldiers asked her, “You’re not laying that wreath for Godwine, are you?” she replied, “No, for all those who lost their lives because of Godwine.” “Good,” said one soldier, “because that king was insane.” “No,” she replied, “Kingship is insane.” ==Establishment of the Folkdeed of Greatvale== Leofric and Osbeorn returned to Folkhame but disbanded the bulk of their armies on the way, telling each man to return to his home, tend his flocks or fields. Only garrison forces were left to safeguard important locations. When Leofric and Osbeorn entered into the chambers of the Ealdormoot, they did so in civilian clothing, shocking the members of the Ealdormoot who had expected to find themselves under the thumb of their new liberators. Leofric had summoned the members of the boroughmoot of Brandwyck, and Osbeorn those of Fiscerehæfen to participate in the session. Each delegation having been instructed to seek to extend the folkdeed across all the lands of Greatvale. Leofric stood before them and said, “My countrymen and women, the people of Greatvale are finally free of tyranny. Do not pick up the broken shards of the past; forge something new.  Now that all the royal and noble houses have quit their claims on the throne, Greatvale truly belongs to her people. You have an opportunity to give them a government worthy of their suffering and sacrifice.” Over the ensuring weeks, the reorganization of Greatvale was deliberated and ultimately decided upon in the fashion it is known today.  Leofric and Osbeorn were elected the first two Rædgivers of the Folkdeed and Frithuswith was elected its first Witeger. The election of three nobles to these important posts at first appeared to undermine the Folkdeed’s assertion of equality, but many understood this as important buy-in by the nobles for the cause of the Folkdeed.  Leofric, Osbeorn, and Frithuswith were also the first to ritually disinherit their sons at the age of seventeen, establishing a custom for those who held the offices of Rædgiver and Witeger, a custom that would eventually also include the Ealdormoot, and finally, all of Greatvale.  Leofric and Osbeorn served out their terms before being succeeded by two commoners.  Leofric and Osbeorn would be elected to Rædgiver again over their careers in public life, but would only serve together for this first two-year period. Frithuswith, despite her frequent criticism of Leofric and Osbeorn in their roles as Rædgivers, would remain close friends with both men the rest of their lives. ==Legacy of the Long Campaign== There were those who lamented the length of the war and the cost of life, but others were quick to note that the Long Campaign had given Greatvale sufficient time to let go of its past and to imagine something new.  The Long Campaign had also cemented anti-monarchist sentiment in the population, such that when the Ealdormoot placed the proposed plan before the people, few objected that it lacked a king. Others have noted that had the Folkdeed not been born in such circumstances and placed in the crucible of the Long Campaign, it could never have survived the Catastrophe or the Lost Time that followed. [[Category:Events]] ad05ad8010a0b183647262dd484eb19431193ba0 125 124 2014-03-16T18:37:47Z Schaef 3364594 /* Rebellion in the South (114 – 113 PC) */ wikitext text/x-wiki The Long Campaign is the name given to the nine-year long civil war that removed the Last King of [[Greatvale]] and established the republic known as the [[Folkdeed of Greatvale]]. ==Background== In the year 120 PC, Archon Zajjasu of Carmadh celebrated the tenth year of his reign with a hunting party.  This hunting party attracted some of the great nobles and leaders of the western Sunrise Lands. Notably absent from the invitation was King Godwine III Beorncyning of Greatvale, though few were surprised by this, as relations between Carmadh and Greatvale were cool at the time. Zajjasu took his hunting party along the western side of the Kiting Mountains, the name by which Carmadh refers to the Westvale Mountains.  Toward the end of the expedition, Zajjasu led his party into the Deepwood, the forest to the south of the Westvale Mountains that marks the boundary between Carmadh and Greatvale. Although at this time the border had never been firmly established between the two realms, the woods were considered something of a “neutral zone” between the kingdoms, available for ordinary use by the people, but off limits for military or commercial use. When Godwine became aware of Zajjasu’s party’s presence in the Deepwood, the slight of his non-invitation became insult.  He declared that Carmadh’s presence in the Deepwood was an affront to all of Greatvale and especially to the honor of his house. To announce his response, he spoke before the Ealdormoot, many of whom were skeptical, but since Godwine merely convened the gathering to declare his intention rather than seek their counsel, their opinions were largely irrelevant. This followed a long pattern of erratic behavior on the part of Godwine and his increasing indifference toward the opinions of the nobles and aristocrats who made up the Ealdormoot. On the first day of [[Lenctenmath]] 118 PC, Godwine led a great host out from Folkhame toward the Deepwood to engage Zajjasu and to secure the Deepwood once and for all as Greatvale territory. On the way west, the army camped outside the town of Oxbridge, near the farm of Swithin Sceaphyrd, a commoner landholder.  During the encampment, the men of Godwine’s host resupplied themselves with the produce of Sceaphyrd’s farm, slaughtered his flocks, and at one point, seized his daughters for the “comfort” of the troops.  Sceaphyrd pleaded to the king for justice for his daughters and restitution for his lost crops and livestock.  The king rejected Sceaphyrd’s plea and sent him away. The king was reported to have said, “The problems of peasants are nothing when the honor of kings is at stake.” Devastated, Sceaphyrd went to the Boroughmoot of Oxbridge and requested their aid.  The Boroughmoot authorized their Ealdorman, Hrothgar of Wildewood, himself a cousin to Godwine, to petition the King for mercy through the Ealdormoot. Ealdor Hrothgar was in Oxbridge at the time and agreed to speak to his cousin for restitution and return of the girls. When Hrothgar appeared before the king, Godwine became so incensed that his judgment was being questioned, by his kin and his subjects, that he had Hrothgar arrested as a traitor and bound in irons.  He then dispatched a legion to raze Oxbridge to the ground as a “town in rebellion.” Swithun Sceaphyrd and his family were all executed as sympathizers to the Carmadh cause, though it is sometimes believed that one of his daughters escaped.  Every member of the Boroughmoot was nailed to the walls of Oxbridge before they were set on fire. ==Leofric’s Rebellion== Leofric of Brandwyck, a Hundredman in Godwine’s army was witness to the razing of Oxbridge as he rode with some of his officers on sentry around the camp.  Having become convinced that the king, after a long history of erratic behavior, had in fact gone mad, he and his officers rode as fast as they could back to Folkhame with news of the destruction of Oxbridge. The Ealdormoot was greatly distressed to hear the news, but opted to take no action—half of the members were either kin or appointees of the king. Many even criticized Leofric for raising the matter during a time of national crisis, a crisis, Leofric noted, that had been started by this same mad king. Leofric took the curious, and at the time, novel action of resigning his commission to the Ealdormoot rather than to the king, saying that his honor as a soldier would not allow him to continue to serve a king who was enemy to his own subjects.  He would not speak on behalf of his officers, but all of them followed suit and resigned before the Ealdormoot. Leofric and his officers rode north headed toward Brandwyck.  En route they were intercepted by a rider who bore a surprising message: a number of the Ealdormen and -women shared Leofric’s concerns about the king and wished to meet with him.  A day later, in a back room at the Fly &amp; Eel Inn, Leofric and his men met with Æthelræd of Whitshollow, Frithuswith of Northmarch, and Hereweald of Eoford. The members of the Ealdormoot told Leofric that they had had some concerns about the king for some time, noting that his edicts had grown more and more erratic and that this entire venture against Carmadh was forced down the Ealdormoot’s throat.  As the conversation went late into the night, the list of the king’s follies and crimes grew longer and longer as the Ealdors shared what they knew.  At each report, Leofric became more and more disturbed and agitated. Finally, Æthelræd stated bluntly, “The king is insane,” to which Leofric famously replied: S<em>e cyning is ne wodseoc; cyningscipe biđ wodseoc</em> - ”The king is not insane; king<em>ship </em>is insane.” He went on to note the injustices perpetrated by practically every king after King Cynric I, even the kings they considered “good”, and noted that it was the entire structure that bred this kind of evil.  Some of his officers shared stories of horrors from neighboring realms.  And every once in a while one of the company would simply utter: “The king is not insane; kingship is insane.” As they paused at one point, simply to reflect on what had been said, Frithuswith sat forward in her chair and asked: “Who is Greatvale for, in the end? The King or the people?” Leofric stood and announced his intention to continue his ride north and there to rally the people to declare a free state independent of the crown. The Ealdors agreed that they would return to Folkhame to try to discern how many of the Ealdormoot would support such action. Leofric rode north to Brandwyck and shared with the Boroughmoot what had taken place in Oxbridge and the other reports of the king’s misdeeds. The Boroughmoot reacted with horror but were reluctant to take action. “What course do we have available to us?” one member reportedly asked. “Shall we set up for ourselves a king in the north against whom some later valiant son will have to rebel?” Leofric replied, “There will be no king in the north, and if the fates are with us, there will be no king in the south. Our task is to create a work of the people, a <em>folkdeed</em>.” The Boroughmoot affirmed the idea and on the 12th day of Blostmath 118 PC, the free and independent Folkdeed of Northvale was declared.  Leofric was offered the post of Lord Protector but declined, arguing that he could better support the new state as a general and pleaded with the Boroughmoot to govern as a council.  In later years, Leofric is reported to have said, “Had I taken the office, even though it have a different title, I would have been a king; and I had seen enough of kingship to know that I was not strong enough a man to resist its corruptions.” Leofric went to the neighboring estates and holdfasts, personally appealing for support. It was said that such was Leofric’s passion, valor, and charm that he often persuaded people within the first minutes of his conversation with them.  Within a month the whole of the Northvale and the Northmarch had allied themselves with the fledgling state in Brandwyck.  Leofric proved an impressive commander and within a few weeks had established defenses for the new realm that were the rival of anything the Kingdom had ever produced. ==The Campaign== ===The King’s March (118-116 PC)=== When King Godwine was told of what had happened in Brandwyck he was outraged.  He quickly broke camp and returned to Folkhame with his entire army, save a couple of legions to guard the frontier, which he still believed was about to be invaded by Carmadh. When he arrived in Folkhame, he disbanded the Ealdormoot and placed many of the members under house arrest. Godwine believed that Brandwyck could never have done what it did without either aid or encouragement from the Ealdormoot and set out to determine who in the council had betrayed him. [[File:lc1.png|200px|thumb|right|The King's March]] While the Kingdom of Greatvale had never been anything remotely resembling a participatory democracy, the Ealdormoot had long been a respected advisory body, and helped the nobles to feel involved in the kingdom and giving them a sense of ownership.  Now, those same nobles were being rounded up and imprisoned by the king and his agents.  Æthelræd of Whitshollow was thrown into a dungeon and eventually died under torture.  Frithuswith of Northmarch and Hereweald of Eoford were able to escape Folkhame and were taken north by agents of Leofric. Godwine’s measures in Folkhame were brutal and achieved a measure of success; all dissension was quelled in the capital and when the Ealdormoot was eventually reconvened, it declared all of Godwine’s actions to be legal and necessary in defense of the realm.  They declared the Northvale and Northmarch as territories in rebellion and as traitors deserving of death. Any member of the Ealdormoot who was not in attendance or who would not sign a proxy letter was declared anathema and placed under an order of condemnation. Godwine dismissed Folkhome’s boroughmoot and left a governor in charge of the city. Feeling that the situation in Folkhame had been stabilized, he took his army north into the surrounding countryside to root out rebel sympathizers. There was no method to the king’s effort to root out enemies of the crown.  At times he appeared to select targets on a whim, burning down farms and even entire villages because he <em>knew</em> they had to be part of this rebellion. For two years, Godwine’s army terrorized the central valley on either side of the Great Tidewater. Entreaties by the Ealdormoot to return to Folkhome and take his place on the throne were ignored. In all this time, Godwine made not one attempt to enter the lands that had declared independence.  All of his activity took place on land that was considered to be loyal. Over the course of the King’s March, it is believed that some 30,000 Greatvalers died at the hands of the king’s army. ===The Siege of the North (116-114 PC)=== Having been satisfied that the lands behind him were now free of treason, Godwine set his eyes on the north country.  In Sonnemath of 116, he led his host north along the Great Tidewater toward Brandwyck.  Leofric had by this time erected fortifications all along the ridge line, preserving the high vale territories, on which much grain could be grown, but also the mills of the the upper Tidewater.  Had Godwine marched north immediately, rather than needlessly terrorizing the southern and central countryside, he would have caught the Folkdeed in a much more disadvantaged state. As it was, the king’s host was prevented from moving further up the valley; the fortifications were sufficient to hold Godwine’s advance but not to drive it back completely.  One of the great strengths of the Kingdom of Greatvale is that the entire geography is something of a fortress. The mountain that surround the valley are exceptionally difficult to cross in great numbers and the safe passes are few.  Godwine decided to use this to his advantage.  He decided to lay siege to Northvale and starve them out. He dispatched two legions to secure the passes to the north and northeast of the vale. In one case, he illegally sent troops over foreign soil to block the pass from the back end. [[File:lc.png|200px|thumb|right|Leofric's fortifications]] Leofric dispatched as many forces as he could to defend the passes from incursion, but knew he did not have enough strength to dislodge the king’s troops and maintain the defenses along his southern fortifications.  The Brandwyck boroughmoot established programs to store food as best as possible. Great storehouses were constructed for grain. A woman named Hilda, widow to Eadmund Fiscere, led a band of people north into the mountains to carve out great chunks of ice and bring them down into the vale by sledge. They placed these large pieces of ice in the ground and built structures over them.  These “Hilda’s Iceboxes” became huge storage centers for fish from Lake Sworetunga  and other perishable produce of the region. Initially, people were asked to sacrifice a meal a day to save on food and then two; by the end of the siege, these conditions would be considered feasting. The winter of 116-115 PC was relatively mild with a late fall and an early spring. Food production was diminished but was still able to provide for the people of Northvale.  The winter of 115-114 PC was brutal and early frosts were hard on fruit trees.  The depth of the ice on Lake Sworetunga made fishing difficult and the yields of fish were much lower that year.  In addition, Godwine sent raiding parties across the frontier to set fire to fields just before harvest, devastating entire communities.  This, in turn, led to the development of the Folkeored, a mounted regiment who could patrol the farmlands and respond quickly to any reports of firing of fields.  The Folkeored was ultimately able to capture or kill most of those who came on raiding parties but not before those parties exacted a heavy toll. ===Rebellion in the South (114 – 113 PC)=== Ultimately, the rescue of the north did not come from Leofric’s armies or the Folkeored, but from the peoples of the south.  The siege on Northvale had had disastrous effects on the economies of the south, especially the trading and merchant fleets of Fralin’s Deep.  By the second century P.C., Greatvale had established itself as a seagoing, mercantile power in the region.  There was a high demand for the quality linen and much of the produce of the northern vale.  Godwine’s siege of the north had prevented any goods from leaving and the commercial interests of the south were suffering the effects.  The southern merchants had petitioned the king repeatedly through the Ealdormoot, but as with everything else, those petitions went unheeded.  As the siege dragged on, rumblings in the south that the king was no longer a protector of the realm but a maniac bent on punishment of those who defied him began to increase.  The horrors of the King’s March were now becoming more and more well-known as reports of the king’s indiscriminate justice began to travel the realm. [[File:lc2.png|200px|thumb|right|The southern rebellion]] In Regenmath of 114, the boroughmoot of Fiscerehæfen declared itself independent of the crown even going so far as to declare themselves to be the <em>folkdeed </em>of Fiscerehæfen. Seven other coastal cities followed suit and before long were calling themselves the Folkdeed of Southvale. Town militias and other companies of volunteers were hastily put together and marched north to secure important roads and trade routes. One company marched into Wulfred’s Byland to secure important grain resources. When word of the southern rebellion reached Godwine in the north, he immediately pulled his forces back and marched on Folkhame. His advance was slowed by muddy roads and ironically by the lack of provisions in the central valley due to his harsh campaigning there two years before. By the time Godwine reached Folkhame, the city had lost half its population to flight.  Tens of thousands streamed south into the lands of the Southvale Folkdeed. The governor whom Godwine had placed in charge of Folkhome after disbanding the city’s boroughmoot, ruled with an excessively heavy hand in an effort to quell any dissent. When Godwine got to Folkhame, he found it essentially plundered, as the city’s residents had taken everything of value they could, the most valuable thing being themselves as the city’s workforce.  Godwine executed his governor for incompetence and immediately dispatched his soldiers around the city to shore up the defenses and attain provision. Godwine was still under the impression that his force was the strongest, and in strictly speaking numeric terms this may have been the case. But by this time, after four years of war that had done little to quell the northern rebellion and had succeeded in igniting a southern one, many in the royal army were demoralized.  In fact, so intent had Godwine been on quelling dissent in the broader population, that he had ignored the rising levels of dissatisfaction in his own forces.  In Hærfestmath of 114 PC, Osbeorn Swordsmith, a commander in the royal host, simply marched his legions out of the gates of Folkhame and defected en masse to the southern cause.  Osbeorn was a nobleman of a long-established house that prized honor, and like Leofric before him, decided that his honor would not allow him to serve a king who had become his subjects’ enemy.  According to the reports, took his legions outside the gates, stood before them and announced, “We are marching south to join in the defense of the southern lands from this monster of a king.  Any man who wishes to stay may do so without penalty.” According to those same reports, not a single soldier left.  Many have speculated as to why Osbeorn did not simply command his legions to take control of Folkhame itself and become king. Speculation has long focused on whether Osbeorn had the numbers to accomplish this task and has largely ignored the reality that to someone of Osbeorn’s background, such a betrayal would never have been honorable, whereas riding to the defense of an oppressed population (and one in sore need of experienced military leadership) was honorable.  One apocryphal report states that as they rode south, one of Osbeorn’s captains said to him, “The king truly is insane,” whereupon Osbeorn is said to have replied, “The king is not insane, kingship is insane.” ===The Intervention (113-112 PC)=== The ongoing crisis in Greatvale eventually became one of tremendous concern to the surrounding realms.  Godwine himself had never been popular and initially the rebellion brought comfort to some of the other powers in the region, especially to Zajjasu of Carmadh.  But as the conflict wore on, it became clear that the <em>nature </em>of the rebellion was a bigger threat than Godwine himself had ever been.  Two dissident realms had established themselves in the north and south of Greatvale and neither one had proclaimed a king. In fact, they had both declared themselves to be intentionally free of a king.  Fearing the political instability this might bring about in their own realms, the surrounding powers all sent expeditionary forces into Greatvale to shore up Godwine and help to quell the rebellions. Initially, southern forces were taken aback by the foreign intervention, and heavy losses were suffered in the initial encounters, particularly in Wulfred’s Byland and in the south-east marches below the Eastvale Mountains.  However, Osbeorn led a force into the Byland and met Zajjasu’s forces at the edge of the Deepwood.  Osbeorn’s army routed Zajjasu completely and by the end of the engagement had secured the entirety of the Deepwood under southern control.  Some have speculated that Osbeorn took the Deepwood as an insult to Godwine who had precipitated the entire crisis when he had set out to do so five years earlier. In the north, Leofric sent a host to engage an army attempting to invade through the Upgang Pass. Leofric sent a local militia commander named Weland who had impressed Leofric with his skill.  Weland was also from near the pass and his knowledge of the pass helped him to defeat a force that outnumbered his two-to-one. Leofric himself took a great army and marched south toward Folkhame.  Godwine had foolishly believed that the intervention was turning the tide and so had sent two armies out of Folkhame to retake the south and west vales.  A separate force from Brandwyck intercepted Godwine’s western host and fought a battle there that, while not decisive, did cause the force to retreat back to Folkhame.  A second royalist force traveled along the Tidewater but was constantly harassed by southern forces as they made their way south and were never able to meet up with the interventionist forces as had been hoped.  In fact, the intervention only served to stoke the fires of rebellion among the towns and cities of Greatvale, for now it was clear that Godwine was in league with Greatvale's enemies.  And while most were wise enough to realize that the foreign powers were doing this to advance their own interests, the symbolism of their king fighting alongside foreign forces to oppress his own people was too powerful to ignore and served to galvanize the entire rebellion. On the 10th day of [[Midmath]] 112 PC, Godwine took his remaining forces from Folkhame and marched north to meet Leofric’s host that had been traveling south along the east shore of the Tidewater. ===Campaign’s End (111-110 PC)=== On the 15th day of Regenmath 111 PC, Godwine’s armies engaged Leofric’s host at the north ford of the Tidewater.  In a battle that lasted two days, Leofric defeated Godwine who took his army and fled west to the Westvale Mountains.  Leofric followed in pursuit, stopping only to establish a garrison at Folkhame.  Leofric left strict instruction that no one was to be harmed in the city, that the boroughmoot was to be restored to power and that the provision of the people’s material need should be a priority.  What few members of the Ealdormoot who remained convened at the same time and disavowed all the decrees against Leofric and Osbeorn that they had issued under Godwine’s direction. Leofric continued west in pursuit of Godwine only to encounter another royalist force in the midvale. This force had been the one previously sent west and defeated by another northern army the previous year. This army was utterly destroyed.  Most of the soldiers fled dropping their weapons and casting off what armor they had as they ran.  Those who remained to fight were vastly outmatched by a better led army, and one with a far higher morale.  In fact, many of the residents of the region, remembering the King’s March, joined with Leofric’s forces as the battle raged or served as pickets around the battlefield, capturing fleeing royalist soldiers. In the end, Leofric continued his march west with surprisingly few casualties. At the base of the Heofodbend Mountain, he was joined by the northern host and by Osbeorn’s army, returned from the Deepwood, minus a border garrison. Godwine had entrenched himself up the mountain at the Crown’s Keep and been joined by the remnants of another royalist host that had been sent into the south without success. Leofric and Osbeorn longed for war to be over, but they knew that an assault on the keep would be a disaster and would cost thousands of men.  The forces of north and south began to lay siege on the keep. By Cyrtenmath, the siege was entering its sixth month without an end in sight.  Leofric and Osbeorn’s forces had constructed impressive siege equipment and were in the midst of planning a massive assault to take the keep and end the war once and for all when a strange visitor begged entrance into the camp.  An old man dressed simply in black sackcloth, begged an audience with the generals.  After having the man searched for any weapons, they admitted him into their presence. He identified himself as Kyrion Halfmage of House Akkadon, the royal house of Carmadh, and a member of the Order of the Sun. He offered a solution to the impasse: the gates of the Crown Keep would open and the soldiers of Godwine’s army would be allowed to return to their homes in exchange for an oath of fealty to Leofric and Osbeorn.  Godwine himself would be allowed to live, but would spend his days in the Royal Crypt under the care of the Order of the Sun.  The Order of the Sun would be granted perpetual dominion over the crypt in exchange for the House of Wulfred dropping any claim to the throne of Greatvale. Leofric responded that the soldiers of Godwine’s army must swear oaths of fealty not to them but to the Ealdormoot of Greatvale.  Osbeorn insisted that all royal and noble houses drop claims to the throne of Greatvale and insisted that the throne itself accompany Godwine into the tomb.  Kyrion Halfmage was startled by these demands and replied, “Then who shall be king?” “No one,” was the joint reply. Halfmage agreed to the terms as laid out by Leofric and Osbeorn and left the camp. Within a week’s time, the first of the defenders of Crown’s Keep began to emerge, each dropping their weapons as they descended the slope of the mountain, giving the place the name Spear’s Fall.  After the army was entirely disbanded, Kyrion Halfmage emerged from the keep with four attendants and another man now dressed only in black sackcloth.  As the man walked by, it was clear that this was Godwine III Beorcyning. Many of the soldiers of the combined armies spat on the ground as he walked by. Others shouted curses or hurled mud and dirt.  But no one unsheathed a sword or lowered a spear: Leofric and Osbeorn had been clear in their orders. Joining in the procession was a cart that had come from Folkhame, bearing the throne of the king.  The jeers for the chair were almost as loud as the jeers for Godwine and many of the soldiers offered grass to the oxen bearing the cart as a sign of camaraderie in the service of liberating the land of the king. As they procession left the armies’ combined camp, Osbeorn asked his steward what food they had available to feast with. The steward replied that because they were preparing to break camp, most of the provisions had been stowed; all they had at hand were a few loaves of bread and some dates. Osbeorn replied, “There was never so sweet a feast as the one of bread and dates that we shall share tonight.”  He and Leofric shared this meal with their stewards, whom they insisted join them in the feast, not as servants, but as brothers-in-arms. A special honor guard accompanied the men from the Order of the Sun on their long march to the Royal Crypt, both to protect them from harm and to ensure that they went inside. Once Kyrion and Godwine and their party entered the Tomb, the door was locked from the inside and the guard took position around the entrance.  A peasant girl brought a wreath to lay at the tomb. Reports vary but some claim this was Leafday Sceaphyrd, the youngest daughter of Swithin Sceaphyrd of Oxbridge.  When the soldiers asked her, “You’re not laying that wreath for Godwine, are you?” she replied, “No, for all those who lost their lives because of Godwine.” “Good,” said one soldier, “because that king was insane.” “No,” she replied, “Kingship is insane.” ==Establishment of the Folkdeed of Greatvale== Leofric and Osbeorn returned to Folkhame but disbanded the bulk of their armies on the way, telling each man to return to his home, tend his flocks or fields. Only garrison forces were left to safeguard important locations. When Leofric and Osbeorn entered into the chambers of the Ealdormoot, they did so in civilian clothing, shocking the members of the Ealdormoot who had expected to find themselves under the thumb of their new liberators. Leofric had summoned the members of the boroughmoot of Brandwyck, and Osbeorn those of Fiscerehæfen to participate in the session. Each delegation having been instructed to seek to extend the folkdeed across all the lands of Greatvale. Leofric stood before them and said, “My countrymen and women, the people of Greatvale are finally free of tyranny. Do not pick up the broken shards of the past; forge something new.  Now that all the royal and noble houses have quit their claims on the throne, Greatvale truly belongs to her people. You have an opportunity to give them a government worthy of their suffering and sacrifice.” Over the ensuring weeks, the reorganization of Greatvale was deliberated and ultimately decided upon in the fashion it is known today.  Leofric and Osbeorn were elected the first two Rædgivers of the Folkdeed and Frithuswith was elected its first Witeger. The election of three nobles to these important posts at first appeared to undermine the Folkdeed’s assertion of equality, but many understood this as important buy-in by the nobles for the cause of the Folkdeed.  Leofric, Osbeorn, and Frithuswith were also the first to ritually disinherit their sons at the age of seventeen, establishing a custom for those who held the offices of Rædgiver and Witeger, a custom that would eventually also include the Ealdormoot, and finally, all of Greatvale.  Leofric and Osbeorn served out their terms before being succeeded by two commoners.  Leofric and Osbeorn would be elected to Rædgiver again over their careers in public life, but would only serve together for this first two-year period. Frithuswith, despite her frequent criticism of Leofric and Osbeorn in their roles as Rædgivers, would remain close friends with both men the rest of their lives. ==Legacy of the Long Campaign== There were those who lamented the length of the war and the cost of life, but others were quick to note that the Long Campaign had given Greatvale sufficient time to let go of its past and to imagine something new.  The Long Campaign had also cemented anti-monarchist sentiment in the population, such that when the Ealdormoot placed the proposed plan before the people, few objected that it lacked a king. Others have noted that had the Folkdeed not been born in such circumstances and placed in the crucible of the Long Campaign, it could never have survived the Catastrophe or the Lost Time that followed. [[Category:Events]] 89d2c232d3edadf7fcabad4a511dbe40c88b8cff 126 125 2014-03-16T18:38:44Z Schaef 3364594 /* Rebellion in the South (114 – 113 PC) */ wikitext text/x-wiki The Long Campaign is the name given to the nine-year long civil war that removed the Last King of [[Greatvale]] and established the republic known as the [[Folkdeed of Greatvale]]. ==Background== In the year 120 PC, Archon Zajjasu of Carmadh celebrated the tenth year of his reign with a hunting party.  This hunting party attracted some of the great nobles and leaders of the western Sunrise Lands. Notably absent from the invitation was King Godwine III Beorncyning of Greatvale, though few were surprised by this, as relations between Carmadh and Greatvale were cool at the time. Zajjasu took his hunting party along the western side of the Kiting Mountains, the name by which Carmadh refers to the Westvale Mountains.  Toward the end of the expedition, Zajjasu led his party into the Deepwood, the forest to the south of the Westvale Mountains that marks the boundary between Carmadh and Greatvale. Although at this time the border had never been firmly established between the two realms, the woods were considered something of a “neutral zone” between the kingdoms, available for ordinary use by the people, but off limits for military or commercial use. When Godwine became aware of Zajjasu’s party’s presence in the Deepwood, the slight of his non-invitation became insult.  He declared that Carmadh’s presence in the Deepwood was an affront to all of Greatvale and especially to the honor of his house. To announce his response, he spoke before the Ealdormoot, many of whom were skeptical, but since Godwine merely convened the gathering to declare his intention rather than seek their counsel, their opinions were largely irrelevant. This followed a long pattern of erratic behavior on the part of Godwine and his increasing indifference toward the opinions of the nobles and aristocrats who made up the Ealdormoot. On the first day of [[Lenctenmath]] 118 PC, Godwine led a great host out from Folkhame toward the Deepwood to engage Zajjasu and to secure the Deepwood once and for all as Greatvale territory. On the way west, the army camped outside the town of Oxbridge, near the farm of Swithin Sceaphyrd, a commoner landholder.  During the encampment, the men of Godwine’s host resupplied themselves with the produce of Sceaphyrd’s farm, slaughtered his flocks, and at one point, seized his daughters for the “comfort” of the troops.  Sceaphyrd pleaded to the king for justice for his daughters and restitution for his lost crops and livestock.  The king rejected Sceaphyrd’s plea and sent him away. The king was reported to have said, “The problems of peasants are nothing when the honor of kings is at stake.” Devastated, Sceaphyrd went to the Boroughmoot of Oxbridge and requested their aid.  The Boroughmoot authorized their Ealdorman, Hrothgar of Wildewood, himself a cousin to Godwine, to petition the King for mercy through the Ealdormoot. Ealdor Hrothgar was in Oxbridge at the time and agreed to speak to his cousin for restitution and return of the girls. When Hrothgar appeared before the king, Godwine became so incensed that his judgment was being questioned, by his kin and his subjects, that he had Hrothgar arrested as a traitor and bound in irons.  He then dispatched a legion to raze Oxbridge to the ground as a “town in rebellion.” Swithun Sceaphyrd and his family were all executed as sympathizers to the Carmadh cause, though it is sometimes believed that one of his daughters escaped.  Every member of the Boroughmoot was nailed to the walls of Oxbridge before they were set on fire. ==Leofric’s Rebellion== Leofric of Brandwyck, a Hundredman in Godwine’s army was witness to the razing of Oxbridge as he rode with some of his officers on sentry around the camp.  Having become convinced that the king, after a long history of erratic behavior, had in fact gone mad, he and his officers rode as fast as they could back to Folkhame with news of the destruction of Oxbridge. The Ealdormoot was greatly distressed to hear the news, but opted to take no action—half of the members were either kin or appointees of the king. Many even criticized Leofric for raising the matter during a time of national crisis, a crisis, Leofric noted, that had been started by this same mad king. Leofric took the curious, and at the time, novel action of resigning his commission to the Ealdormoot rather than to the king, saying that his honor as a soldier would not allow him to continue to serve a king who was enemy to his own subjects.  He would not speak on behalf of his officers, but all of them followed suit and resigned before the Ealdormoot. Leofric and his officers rode north headed toward Brandwyck.  En route they were intercepted by a rider who bore a surprising message: a number of the Ealdormen and -women shared Leofric’s concerns about the king and wished to meet with him.  A day later, in a back room at the Fly &amp; Eel Inn, Leofric and his men met with Æthelræd of Whitshollow, Frithuswith of Northmarch, and Hereweald of Eoford. The members of the Ealdormoot told Leofric that they had had some concerns about the king for some time, noting that his edicts had grown more and more erratic and that this entire venture against Carmadh was forced down the Ealdormoot’s throat.  As the conversation went late into the night, the list of the king’s follies and crimes grew longer and longer as the Ealdors shared what they knew.  At each report, Leofric became more and more disturbed and agitated. Finally, Æthelræd stated bluntly, “The king is insane,” to which Leofric famously replied: S<em>e cyning is ne wodseoc; cyningscipe biđ wodseoc</em> - ”The king is not insane; king<em>ship </em>is insane.” He went on to note the injustices perpetrated by practically every king after King Cynric I, even the kings they considered “good”, and noted that it was the entire structure that bred this kind of evil.  Some of his officers shared stories of horrors from neighboring realms.  And every once in a while one of the company would simply utter: “The king is not insane; kingship is insane.” As they paused at one point, simply to reflect on what had been said, Frithuswith sat forward in her chair and asked: “Who is Greatvale for, in the end? The King or the people?” Leofric stood and announced his intention to continue his ride north and there to rally the people to declare a free state independent of the crown. The Ealdors agreed that they would return to Folkhame to try to discern how many of the Ealdormoot would support such action. Leofric rode north to Brandwyck and shared with the Boroughmoot what had taken place in Oxbridge and the other reports of the king’s misdeeds. The Boroughmoot reacted with horror but were reluctant to take action. “What course do we have available to us?” one member reportedly asked. “Shall we set up for ourselves a king in the north against whom some later valiant son will have to rebel?” Leofric replied, “There will be no king in the north, and if the fates are with us, there will be no king in the south. Our task is to create a work of the people, a <em>folkdeed</em>.” The Boroughmoot affirmed the idea and on the 12th day of Blostmath 118 PC, the free and independent Folkdeed of Northvale was declared.  Leofric was offered the post of Lord Protector but declined, arguing that he could better support the new state as a general and pleaded with the Boroughmoot to govern as a council.  In later years, Leofric is reported to have said, “Had I taken the office, even though it have a different title, I would have been a king; and I had seen enough of kingship to know that I was not strong enough a man to resist its corruptions.” Leofric went to the neighboring estates and holdfasts, personally appealing for support. It was said that such was Leofric’s passion, valor, and charm that he often persuaded people within the first minutes of his conversation with them.  Within a month the whole of the Northvale and the Northmarch had allied themselves with the fledgling state in Brandwyck.  Leofric proved an impressive commander and within a few weeks had established defenses for the new realm that were the rival of anything the Kingdom had ever produced. ==The Campaign== ===The King’s March (118-116 PC)=== When King Godwine was told of what had happened in Brandwyck he was outraged.  He quickly broke camp and returned to Folkhame with his entire army, save a couple of legions to guard the frontier, which he still believed was about to be invaded by Carmadh. When he arrived in Folkhame, he disbanded the Ealdormoot and placed many of the members under house arrest. Godwine believed that Brandwyck could never have done what it did without either aid or encouragement from the Ealdormoot and set out to determine who in the council had betrayed him. [[File:lc1.png|200px|thumb|right|The King's March]] While the Kingdom of Greatvale had never been anything remotely resembling a participatory democracy, the Ealdormoot had long been a respected advisory body, and helped the nobles to feel involved in the kingdom and giving them a sense of ownership.  Now, those same nobles were being rounded up and imprisoned by the king and his agents.  Æthelræd of Whitshollow was thrown into a dungeon and eventually died under torture.  Frithuswith of Northmarch and Hereweald of Eoford were able to escape Folkhame and were taken north by agents of Leofric. Godwine’s measures in Folkhame were brutal and achieved a measure of success; all dissension was quelled in the capital and when the Ealdormoot was eventually reconvened, it declared all of Godwine’s actions to be legal and necessary in defense of the realm.  They declared the Northvale and Northmarch as territories in rebellion and as traitors deserving of death. Any member of the Ealdormoot who was not in attendance or who would not sign a proxy letter was declared anathema and placed under an order of condemnation. Godwine dismissed Folkhome’s boroughmoot and left a governor in charge of the city. Feeling that the situation in Folkhame had been stabilized, he took his army north into the surrounding countryside to root out rebel sympathizers. There was no method to the king’s effort to root out enemies of the crown.  At times he appeared to select targets on a whim, burning down farms and even entire villages because he <em>knew</em> they had to be part of this rebellion. For two years, Godwine’s army terrorized the central valley on either side of the Great Tidewater. Entreaties by the Ealdormoot to return to Folkhome and take his place on the throne were ignored. In all this time, Godwine made not one attempt to enter the lands that had declared independence.  All of his activity took place on land that was considered to be loyal. Over the course of the King’s March, it is believed that some 30,000 Greatvalers died at the hands of the king’s army. ===The Siege of the North (116-114 PC)=== Having been satisfied that the lands behind him were now free of treason, Godwine set his eyes on the north country.  In Sonnemath of 116, he led his host north along the Great Tidewater toward Brandwyck.  Leofric had by this time erected fortifications all along the ridge line, preserving the high vale territories, on which much grain could be grown, but also the mills of the the upper Tidewater.  Had Godwine marched north immediately, rather than needlessly terrorizing the southern and central countryside, he would have caught the Folkdeed in a much more disadvantaged state. As it was, the king’s host was prevented from moving further up the valley; the fortifications were sufficient to hold Godwine’s advance but not to drive it back completely.  One of the great strengths of the Kingdom of Greatvale is that the entire geography is something of a fortress. The mountain that surround the valley are exceptionally difficult to cross in great numbers and the safe passes are few.  Godwine decided to use this to his advantage.  He decided to lay siege to Northvale and starve them out. He dispatched two legions to secure the passes to the north and northeast of the vale. In one case, he illegally sent troops over foreign soil to block the pass from the back end. [[File:lc.png|200px|thumb|right|Leofric's fortifications]] Leofric dispatched as many forces as he could to defend the passes from incursion, but knew he did not have enough strength to dislodge the king’s troops and maintain the defenses along his southern fortifications.  The Brandwyck boroughmoot established programs to store food as best as possible. Great storehouses were constructed for grain. A woman named Hilda, widow to Eadmund Fiscere, led a band of people north into the mountains to carve out great chunks of ice and bring them down into the vale by sledge. They placed these large pieces of ice in the ground and built structures over them.  These “Hilda’s Iceboxes” became huge storage centers for fish from Lake Sworetunga  and other perishable produce of the region. Initially, people were asked to sacrifice a meal a day to save on food and then two; by the end of the siege, these conditions would be considered feasting. The winter of 116-115 PC was relatively mild with a late fall and an early spring. Food production was diminished but was still able to provide for the people of Northvale.  The winter of 115-114 PC was brutal and early frosts were hard on fruit trees.  The depth of the ice on Lake Sworetunga made fishing difficult and the yields of fish were much lower that year.  In addition, Godwine sent raiding parties across the frontier to set fire to fields just before harvest, devastating entire communities.  This, in turn, led to the development of the Folkeored, a mounted regiment who could patrol the farmlands and respond quickly to any reports of firing of fields.  The Folkeored was ultimately able to capture or kill most of those who came on raiding parties but not before those parties exacted a heavy toll. ===Rebellion in the South (114 – 113 PC)=== Ultimately, the rescue of the north did not come from Leofric’s armies or the Folkeored, but from the peoples of the south.  The siege on Northvale had had disastrous effects on the economies of the south, especially the trading and merchant fleets of Fralin’s Deep.  By the second century P.C., Greatvale had established itself as a seagoing, mercantile power in the region.  There was a high demand for the quality linen and much of the produce of the northern vale.  Godwine’s siege of the north had prevented any goods from leaving and the commercial interests of the south were suffering the effects.  The southern merchants had petitioned the king repeatedly through the Ealdormoot, but as with everything else, those petitions went unheeded.  As the siege dragged on, rumblings in the south that the king was no longer a protector of the realm but a maniac bent on punishment of those who defied him began to increase.  The horrors of the King’s March were now becoming more and more well-known as reports of the king’s indiscriminate justice began to travel the realm. In Regenmath of 114, the boroughmoot of Fiscerehæfen declared itself independent of the crown even going so far as to declare themselves to be the <em>folkdeed </em>of Fiscerehæfen. Seven other coastal cities followed suit and before long were calling themselves the Folkdeed of Southvale. Town militias and other companies of volunteers were hastily put together and marched north to secure important roads and trade routes. One company marched into Wulfred’s Byland to secure important grain resources. When word of the southern rebellion reached Godwine in the north, he immediately pulled his forces back and marched on Folkhame. His advance was slowed by muddy roads and ironically by the lack of provisions in the central valley due to his harsh campaigning there two years before. By the time Godwine reached Folkhame, the city had lost half its population to flight.  Tens of thousands streamed south into the lands of the Southvale Folkdeed. The governor whom Godwine had placed in charge of Folkhome after disbanding the city’s boroughmoot, ruled with an excessively heavy hand in an effort to quell any dissent. When Godwine got to Folkhame, he found it essentially plundered, as the city’s residents had taken everything of value they could, the most valuable thing being themselves as the city’s workforce.  Godwine executed his governor for incompetence and immediately dispatched his soldiers around the city to shore up the defenses and attain provision. Godwine was still under the impression that his force was the strongest, and in strictly speaking numeric terms this may have been the case. But by this time, after four years of war that had done little to quell the northern rebellion and had succeeded in igniting a southern one, many in the royal army were demoralized.  In fact, so intent had Godwine been on quelling dissent in the broader population, that he had ignored the rising levels of dissatisfaction in his own forces.  In Hærfestmath of 114 PC, Osbeorn Swordsmith, a commander in the royal host, simply marched his legions out of the gates of Folkhame and defected en masse to the southern cause.  Osbeorn was a nobleman of a long-established house that prized honor, and like Leofric before him, decided that his honor would not allow him to serve a king who had become his subjects’ enemy.  According to the reports, took his legions outside the gates, stood before them and announced, “We are marching south to join in the defense of the southern lands from this monster of a king.  Any man who wishes to stay may do so without penalty.” According to those same reports, not a single soldier left.  Many have speculated as to why Osbeorn did not simply command his legions to take control of Folkhame itself and become king. Speculation has long focused on whether Osbeorn had the numbers to accomplish this task and has largely ignored the reality that to someone of Osbeorn’s background, such a betrayal would never have been honorable, whereas riding to the defense of an oppressed population (and one in sore need of experienced military leadership) was honorable.  One apocryphal report states that as they rode south, one of Osbeorn’s captains said to him, “The king truly is insane,” whereupon Osbeorn is said to have replied, “The king is not insane, kingship is insane.” ===The Intervention (113-112 PC)=== The ongoing crisis in Greatvale eventually became one of tremendous concern to the surrounding realms.  Godwine himself had never been popular and initially the rebellion brought comfort to some of the other powers in the region, especially to Zajjasu of Carmadh.  But as the conflict wore on, it became clear that the <em>nature </em>of the rebellion was a bigger threat than Godwine himself had ever been.  Two dissident realms had established themselves in the north and south of Greatvale and neither one had proclaimed a king. In fact, they had both declared themselves to be intentionally free of a king.  Fearing the political instability this might bring about in their own realms, the surrounding powers all sent expeditionary forces into Greatvale to shore up Godwine and help to quell the rebellions. Initially, southern forces were taken aback by the foreign intervention, and heavy losses were suffered in the initial encounters, particularly in Wulfred’s Byland and in the south-east marches below the Eastvale Mountains.  However, Osbeorn led a force into the Byland and met Zajjasu’s forces at the edge of the Deepwood.  Osbeorn’s army routed Zajjasu completely and by the end of the engagement had secured the entirety of the Deepwood under southern control.  Some have speculated that Osbeorn took the Deepwood as an insult to Godwine who had precipitated the entire crisis when he had set out to do so five years earlier. In the north, Leofric sent a host to engage an army attempting to invade through the Upgang Pass. Leofric sent a local militia commander named Weland who had impressed Leofric with his skill.  Weland was also from near the pass and his knowledge of the pass helped him to defeat a force that outnumbered his two-to-one. Leofric himself took a great army and marched south toward Folkhame.  Godwine had foolishly believed that the intervention was turning the tide and so had sent two armies out of Folkhame to retake the south and west vales.  A separate force from Brandwyck intercepted Godwine’s western host and fought a battle there that, while not decisive, did cause the force to retreat back to Folkhame.  A second royalist force traveled along the Tidewater but was constantly harassed by southern forces as they made their way south and were never able to meet up with the interventionist forces as had been hoped.  In fact, the intervention only served to stoke the fires of rebellion among the towns and cities of Greatvale, for now it was clear that Godwine was in league with Greatvale's enemies.  And while most were wise enough to realize that the foreign powers were doing this to advance their own interests, the symbolism of their king fighting alongside foreign forces to oppress his own people was too powerful to ignore and served to galvanize the entire rebellion. On the 10th day of [[Midmath]] 112 PC, Godwine took his remaining forces from Folkhame and marched north to meet Leofric’s host that had been traveling south along the east shore of the Tidewater. ===Campaign’s End (111-110 PC)=== On the 15th day of Regenmath 111 PC, Godwine’s armies engaged Leofric’s host at the north ford of the Tidewater.  In a battle that lasted two days, Leofric defeated Godwine who took his army and fled west to the Westvale Mountains.  Leofric followed in pursuit, stopping only to establish a garrison at Folkhame.  Leofric left strict instruction that no one was to be harmed in the city, that the boroughmoot was to be restored to power and that the provision of the people’s material need should be a priority.  What few members of the Ealdormoot who remained convened at the same time and disavowed all the decrees against Leofric and Osbeorn that they had issued under Godwine’s direction. Leofric continued west in pursuit of Godwine only to encounter another royalist force in the midvale. This force had been the one previously sent west and defeated by another northern army the previous year. This army was utterly destroyed.  Most of the soldiers fled dropping their weapons and casting off what armor they had as they ran.  Those who remained to fight were vastly outmatched by a better led army, and one with a far higher morale.  In fact, many of the residents of the region, remembering the King’s March, joined with Leofric’s forces as the battle raged or served as pickets around the battlefield, capturing fleeing royalist soldiers. In the end, Leofric continued his march west with surprisingly few casualties. At the base of the Heofodbend Mountain, he was joined by the northern host and by Osbeorn’s army, returned from the Deepwood, minus a border garrison. Godwine had entrenched himself up the mountain at the Crown’s Keep and been joined by the remnants of another royalist host that had been sent into the south without success. Leofric and Osbeorn longed for war to be over, but they knew that an assault on the keep would be a disaster and would cost thousands of men.  The forces of north and south began to lay siege on the keep. By Cyrtenmath, the siege was entering its sixth month without an end in sight.  Leofric and Osbeorn’s forces had constructed impressive siege equipment and were in the midst of planning a massive assault to take the keep and end the war once and for all when a strange visitor begged entrance into the camp.  An old man dressed simply in black sackcloth, begged an audience with the generals.  After having the man searched for any weapons, they admitted him into their presence. He identified himself as Kyrion Halfmage of House Akkadon, the royal house of Carmadh, and a member of the Order of the Sun. He offered a solution to the impasse: the gates of the Crown Keep would open and the soldiers of Godwine’s army would be allowed to return to their homes in exchange for an oath of fealty to Leofric and Osbeorn.  Godwine himself would be allowed to live, but would spend his days in the Royal Crypt under the care of the Order of the Sun.  The Order of the Sun would be granted perpetual dominion over the crypt in exchange for the House of Wulfred dropping any claim to the throne of Greatvale. Leofric responded that the soldiers of Godwine’s army must swear oaths of fealty not to them but to the Ealdormoot of Greatvale.  Osbeorn insisted that all royal and noble houses drop claims to the throne of Greatvale and insisted that the throne itself accompany Godwine into the tomb.  Kyrion Halfmage was startled by these demands and replied, “Then who shall be king?” “No one,” was the joint reply. Halfmage agreed to the terms as laid out by Leofric and Osbeorn and left the camp. Within a week’s time, the first of the defenders of Crown’s Keep began to emerge, each dropping their weapons as they descended the slope of the mountain, giving the place the name Spear’s Fall.  After the army was entirely disbanded, Kyrion Halfmage emerged from the keep with four attendants and another man now dressed only in black sackcloth.  As the man walked by, it was clear that this was Godwine III Beorcyning. Many of the soldiers of the combined armies spat on the ground as he walked by. Others shouted curses or hurled mud and dirt.  But no one unsheathed a sword or lowered a spear: Leofric and Osbeorn had been clear in their orders. Joining in the procession was a cart that had come from Folkhame, bearing the throne of the king.  The jeers for the chair were almost as loud as the jeers for Godwine and many of the soldiers offered grass to the oxen bearing the cart as a sign of camaraderie in the service of liberating the land of the king. As they procession left the armies’ combined camp, Osbeorn asked his steward what food they had available to feast with. The steward replied that because they were preparing to break camp, most of the provisions had been stowed; all they had at hand were a few loaves of bread and some dates. Osbeorn replied, “There was never so sweet a feast as the one of bread and dates that we shall share tonight.”  He and Leofric shared this meal with their stewards, whom they insisted join them in the feast, not as servants, but as brothers-in-arms. A special honor guard accompanied the men from the Order of the Sun on their long march to the Royal Crypt, both to protect them from harm and to ensure that they went inside. Once Kyrion and Godwine and their party entered the Tomb, the door was locked from the inside and the guard took position around the entrance.  A peasant girl brought a wreath to lay at the tomb. Reports vary but some claim this was Leafday Sceaphyrd, the youngest daughter of Swithin Sceaphyrd of Oxbridge.  When the soldiers asked her, “You’re not laying that wreath for Godwine, are you?” she replied, “No, for all those who lost their lives because of Godwine.” “Good,” said one soldier, “because that king was insane.” “No,” she replied, “Kingship is insane.” ==Establishment of the Folkdeed of Greatvale== Leofric and Osbeorn returned to Folkhame but disbanded the bulk of their armies on the way, telling each man to return to his home, tend his flocks or fields. Only garrison forces were left to safeguard important locations. When Leofric and Osbeorn entered into the chambers of the Ealdormoot, they did so in civilian clothing, shocking the members of the Ealdormoot who had expected to find themselves under the thumb of their new liberators. Leofric had summoned the members of the boroughmoot of Brandwyck, and Osbeorn those of Fiscerehæfen to participate in the session. Each delegation having been instructed to seek to extend the folkdeed across all the lands of Greatvale. Leofric stood before them and said, “My countrymen and women, the people of Greatvale are finally free of tyranny. Do not pick up the broken shards of the past; forge something new.  Now that all the royal and noble houses have quit their claims on the throne, Greatvale truly belongs to her people. You have an opportunity to give them a government worthy of their suffering and sacrifice.” Over the ensuring weeks, the reorganization of Greatvale was deliberated and ultimately decided upon in the fashion it is known today.  Leofric and Osbeorn were elected the first two Rædgivers of the Folkdeed and Frithuswith was elected its first Witeger. The election of three nobles to these important posts at first appeared to undermine the Folkdeed’s assertion of equality, but many understood this as important buy-in by the nobles for the cause of the Folkdeed.  Leofric, Osbeorn, and Frithuswith were also the first to ritually disinherit their sons at the age of seventeen, establishing a custom for those who held the offices of Rædgiver and Witeger, a custom that would eventually also include the Ealdormoot, and finally, all of Greatvale.  Leofric and Osbeorn served out their terms before being succeeded by two commoners.  Leofric and Osbeorn would be elected to Rædgiver again over their careers in public life, but would only serve together for this first two-year period. Frithuswith, despite her frequent criticism of Leofric and Osbeorn in their roles as Rædgivers, would remain close friends with both men the rest of their lives. ==Legacy of the Long Campaign== There were those who lamented the length of the war and the cost of life, but others were quick to note that the Long Campaign had given Greatvale sufficient time to let go of its past and to imagine something new.  The Long Campaign had also cemented anti-monarchist sentiment in the population, such that when the Ealdormoot placed the proposed plan before the people, few objected that it lacked a king. Others have noted that had the Folkdeed not been born in such circumstances and placed in the crucible of the Long Campaign, it could never have survived the Catastrophe or the Lost Time that followed. [[Category:Events]] 8e8c2caebf6b5b58b6f1aa5f8591d48bbf3802c5 127 126 2014-03-16T18:39:16Z Schaef 3364594 /* The Siege of the North (116-114 PC) */ wikitext text/x-wiki The Long Campaign is the name given to the nine-year long civil war that removed the Last King of [[Greatvale]] and established the republic known as the [[Folkdeed of Greatvale]]. ==Background== In the year 120 PC, Archon Zajjasu of Carmadh celebrated the tenth year of his reign with a hunting party.  This hunting party attracted some of the great nobles and leaders of the western Sunrise Lands. Notably absent from the invitation was King Godwine III Beorncyning of Greatvale, though few were surprised by this, as relations between Carmadh and Greatvale were cool at the time. Zajjasu took his hunting party along the western side of the Kiting Mountains, the name by which Carmadh refers to the Westvale Mountains.  Toward the end of the expedition, Zajjasu led his party into the Deepwood, the forest to the south of the Westvale Mountains that marks the boundary between Carmadh and Greatvale. Although at this time the border had never been firmly established between the two realms, the woods were considered something of a “neutral zone” between the kingdoms, available for ordinary use by the people, but off limits for military or commercial use. When Godwine became aware of Zajjasu’s party’s presence in the Deepwood, the slight of his non-invitation became insult.  He declared that Carmadh’s presence in the Deepwood was an affront to all of Greatvale and especially to the honor of his house. To announce his response, he spoke before the Ealdormoot, many of whom were skeptical, but since Godwine merely convened the gathering to declare his intention rather than seek their counsel, their opinions were largely irrelevant. This followed a long pattern of erratic behavior on the part of Godwine and his increasing indifference toward the opinions of the nobles and aristocrats who made up the Ealdormoot. On the first day of [[Lenctenmath]] 118 PC, Godwine led a great host out from Folkhame toward the Deepwood to engage Zajjasu and to secure the Deepwood once and for all as Greatvale territory. On the way west, the army camped outside the town of Oxbridge, near the farm of Swithin Sceaphyrd, a commoner landholder.  During the encampment, the men of Godwine’s host resupplied themselves with the produce of Sceaphyrd’s farm, slaughtered his flocks, and at one point, seized his daughters for the “comfort” of the troops.  Sceaphyrd pleaded to the king for justice for his daughters and restitution for his lost crops and livestock.  The king rejected Sceaphyrd’s plea and sent him away. The king was reported to have said, “The problems of peasants are nothing when the honor of kings is at stake.” Devastated, Sceaphyrd went to the Boroughmoot of Oxbridge and requested their aid.  The Boroughmoot authorized their Ealdorman, Hrothgar of Wildewood, himself a cousin to Godwine, to petition the King for mercy through the Ealdormoot. Ealdor Hrothgar was in Oxbridge at the time and agreed to speak to his cousin for restitution and return of the girls. When Hrothgar appeared before the king, Godwine became so incensed that his judgment was being questioned, by his kin and his subjects, that he had Hrothgar arrested as a traitor and bound in irons.  He then dispatched a legion to raze Oxbridge to the ground as a “town in rebellion.” Swithun Sceaphyrd and his family were all executed as sympathizers to the Carmadh cause, though it is sometimes believed that one of his daughters escaped.  Every member of the Boroughmoot was nailed to the walls of Oxbridge before they were set on fire. ==Leofric’s Rebellion== Leofric of Brandwyck, a Hundredman in Godwine’s army was witness to the razing of Oxbridge as he rode with some of his officers on sentry around the camp.  Having become convinced that the king, after a long history of erratic behavior, had in fact gone mad, he and his officers rode as fast as they could back to Folkhame with news of the destruction of Oxbridge. The Ealdormoot was greatly distressed to hear the news, but opted to take no action—half of the members were either kin or appointees of the king. Many even criticized Leofric for raising the matter during a time of national crisis, a crisis, Leofric noted, that had been started by this same mad king. Leofric took the curious, and at the time, novel action of resigning his commission to the Ealdormoot rather than to the king, saying that his honor as a soldier would not allow him to continue to serve a king who was enemy to his own subjects.  He would not speak on behalf of his officers, but all of them followed suit and resigned before the Ealdormoot. Leofric and his officers rode north headed toward Brandwyck.  En route they were intercepted by a rider who bore a surprising message: a number of the Ealdormen and -women shared Leofric’s concerns about the king and wished to meet with him.  A day later, in a back room at the Fly &amp; Eel Inn, Leofric and his men met with Æthelræd of Whitshollow, Frithuswith of Northmarch, and Hereweald of Eoford. The members of the Ealdormoot told Leofric that they had had some concerns about the king for some time, noting that his edicts had grown more and more erratic and that this entire venture against Carmadh was forced down the Ealdormoot’s throat.  As the conversation went late into the night, the list of the king’s follies and crimes grew longer and longer as the Ealdors shared what they knew.  At each report, Leofric became more and more disturbed and agitated. Finally, Æthelræd stated bluntly, “The king is insane,” to which Leofric famously replied: S<em>e cyning is ne wodseoc; cyningscipe biđ wodseoc</em> - ”The king is not insane; king<em>ship </em>is insane.” He went on to note the injustices perpetrated by practically every king after King Cynric I, even the kings they considered “good”, and noted that it was the entire structure that bred this kind of evil.  Some of his officers shared stories of horrors from neighboring realms.  And every once in a while one of the company would simply utter: “The king is not insane; kingship is insane.” As they paused at one point, simply to reflect on what had been said, Frithuswith sat forward in her chair and asked: “Who is Greatvale for, in the end? The King or the people?” Leofric stood and announced his intention to continue his ride north and there to rally the people to declare a free state independent of the crown. The Ealdors agreed that they would return to Folkhame to try to discern how many of the Ealdormoot would support such action. Leofric rode north to Brandwyck and shared with the Boroughmoot what had taken place in Oxbridge and the other reports of the king’s misdeeds. The Boroughmoot reacted with horror but were reluctant to take action. “What course do we have available to us?” one member reportedly asked. “Shall we set up for ourselves a king in the north against whom some later valiant son will have to rebel?” Leofric replied, “There will be no king in the north, and if the fates are with us, there will be no king in the south. Our task is to create a work of the people, a <em>folkdeed</em>.” The Boroughmoot affirmed the idea and on the 12th day of Blostmath 118 PC, the free and independent Folkdeed of Northvale was declared.  Leofric was offered the post of Lord Protector but declined, arguing that he could better support the new state as a general and pleaded with the Boroughmoot to govern as a council.  In later years, Leofric is reported to have said, “Had I taken the office, even though it have a different title, I would have been a king; and I had seen enough of kingship to know that I was not strong enough a man to resist its corruptions.” Leofric went to the neighboring estates and holdfasts, personally appealing for support. It was said that such was Leofric’s passion, valor, and charm that he often persuaded people within the first minutes of his conversation with them.  Within a month the whole of the Northvale and the Northmarch had allied themselves with the fledgling state in Brandwyck.  Leofric proved an impressive commander and within a few weeks had established defenses for the new realm that were the rival of anything the Kingdom had ever produced. ==The Campaign== ===The King’s March (118-116 PC)=== When King Godwine was told of what had happened in Brandwyck he was outraged.  He quickly broke camp and returned to Folkhame with his entire army, save a couple of legions to guard the frontier, which he still believed was about to be invaded by Carmadh. When he arrived in Folkhame, he disbanded the Ealdormoot and placed many of the members under house arrest. Godwine believed that Brandwyck could never have done what it did without either aid or encouragement from the Ealdormoot and set out to determine who in the council had betrayed him. [[File:lc1.png|200px|thumb|right|The King's March]] While the Kingdom of Greatvale had never been anything remotely resembling a participatory democracy, the Ealdormoot had long been a respected advisory body, and helped the nobles to feel involved in the kingdom and giving them a sense of ownership.  Now, those same nobles were being rounded up and imprisoned by the king and his agents.  Æthelræd of Whitshollow was thrown into a dungeon and eventually died under torture.  Frithuswith of Northmarch and Hereweald of Eoford were able to escape Folkhame and were taken north by agents of Leofric. Godwine’s measures in Folkhame were brutal and achieved a measure of success; all dissension was quelled in the capital and when the Ealdormoot was eventually reconvened, it declared all of Godwine’s actions to be legal and necessary in defense of the realm.  They declared the Northvale and Northmarch as territories in rebellion and as traitors deserving of death. Any member of the Ealdormoot who was not in attendance or who would not sign a proxy letter was declared anathema and placed under an order of condemnation. Godwine dismissed Folkhome’s boroughmoot and left a governor in charge of the city. Feeling that the situation in Folkhame had been stabilized, he took his army north into the surrounding countryside to root out rebel sympathizers. There was no method to the king’s effort to root out enemies of the crown.  At times he appeared to select targets on a whim, burning down farms and even entire villages because he <em>knew</em> they had to be part of this rebellion. For two years, Godwine’s army terrorized the central valley on either side of the Great Tidewater. Entreaties by the Ealdormoot to return to Folkhome and take his place on the throne were ignored. In all this time, Godwine made not one attempt to enter the lands that had declared independence.  All of his activity took place on land that was considered to be loyal. Over the course of the King’s March, it is believed that some 30,000 Greatvalers died at the hands of the king’s army. ===The Siege of the North (116-114 PC)=== Having been satisfied that the lands behind him were now free of treason, Godwine set his eyes on the north country.  In Sonnemath of 116, he led his host north along the Great Tidewater toward Brandwyck.  Leofric had by this time erected fortifications all along the ridge line, preserving the high vale territories, on which much grain could be grown, but also the mills of the the upper Tidewater.  Had Godwine marched north immediately, rather than needlessly terrorizing the southern and central countryside, he would have caught the Folkdeed in a much more disadvantaged state. [[File:lc.png|200px|thumb|right|Leofric's fortifications]] As it was, the king’s host was prevented from moving further up the valley; the fortifications were sufficient to hold Godwine’s advance but not to drive it back completely.  One of the great strengths of the Kingdom of Greatvale is that the entire geography is something of a fortress. The mountain that surround the valley are exceptionally difficult to cross in great numbers and the safe passes are few.  Godwine decided to use this to his advantage.  He decided to lay siege to Northvale and starve them out. He dispatched two legions to secure the passes to the north and northeast of the vale. In one case, he illegally sent troops over foreign soil to block the pass from the back end. [[File:lc2.png|200px|thumb|right|Siege of the North]] Leofric dispatched as many forces as he could to defend the passes from incursion, but knew he did not have enough strength to dislodge the king’s troops and maintain the defenses along his southern fortifications.  The Brandwyck boroughmoot established programs to store food as best as possible. Great storehouses were constructed for grain. A woman named Hilda, widow to Eadmund Fiscere, led a band of people north into the mountains to carve out great chunks of ice and bring them down into the vale by sledge. They placed these large pieces of ice in the ground and built structures over them.  These “Hilda’s Iceboxes” became huge storage centers for fish from Lake Sworetunga  and other perishable produce of the region. Initially, people were asked to sacrifice a meal a day to save on food and then two; by the end of the siege, these conditions would be considered feasting. The winter of 116-115 PC was relatively mild with a late fall and an early spring. Food production was diminished but was still able to provide for the people of Northvale.  The winter of 115-114 PC was brutal and early frosts were hard on fruit trees.  The depth of the ice on Lake Sworetunga made fishing difficult and the yields of fish were much lower that year.  In addition, Godwine sent raiding parties across the frontier to set fire to fields just before harvest, devastating entire communities.  This, in turn, led to the development of the Folkeored, a mounted regiment who could patrol the farmlands and respond quickly to any reports of firing of fields.  The Folkeored was ultimately able to capture or kill most of those who came on raiding parties but not before those parties exacted a heavy toll. ===Rebellion in the South (114 – 113 PC)=== Ultimately, the rescue of the north did not come from Leofric’s armies or the Folkeored, but from the peoples of the south.  The siege on Northvale had had disastrous effects on the economies of the south, especially the trading and merchant fleets of Fralin’s Deep.  By the second century P.C., Greatvale had established itself as a seagoing, mercantile power in the region.  There was a high demand for the quality linen and much of the produce of the northern vale.  Godwine’s siege of the north had prevented any goods from leaving and the commercial interests of the south were suffering the effects.  The southern merchants had petitioned the king repeatedly through the Ealdormoot, but as with everything else, those petitions went unheeded.  As the siege dragged on, rumblings in the south that the king was no longer a protector of the realm but a maniac bent on punishment of those who defied him began to increase.  The horrors of the King’s March were now becoming more and more well-known as reports of the king’s indiscriminate justice began to travel the realm. In Regenmath of 114, the boroughmoot of Fiscerehæfen declared itself independent of the crown even going so far as to declare themselves to be the <em>folkdeed </em>of Fiscerehæfen. Seven other coastal cities followed suit and before long were calling themselves the Folkdeed of Southvale. Town militias and other companies of volunteers were hastily put together and marched north to secure important roads and trade routes. One company marched into Wulfred’s Byland to secure important grain resources. When word of the southern rebellion reached Godwine in the north, he immediately pulled his forces back and marched on Folkhame. His advance was slowed by muddy roads and ironically by the lack of provisions in the central valley due to his harsh campaigning there two years before. By the time Godwine reached Folkhame, the city had lost half its population to flight.  Tens of thousands streamed south into the lands of the Southvale Folkdeed. The governor whom Godwine had placed in charge of Folkhome after disbanding the city’s boroughmoot, ruled with an excessively heavy hand in an effort to quell any dissent. When Godwine got to Folkhame, he found it essentially plundered, as the city’s residents had taken everything of value they could, the most valuable thing being themselves as the city’s workforce.  Godwine executed his governor for incompetence and immediately dispatched his soldiers around the city to shore up the defenses and attain provision. Godwine was still under the impression that his force was the strongest, and in strictly speaking numeric terms this may have been the case. But by this time, after four years of war that had done little to quell the northern rebellion and had succeeded in igniting a southern one, many in the royal army were demoralized.  In fact, so intent had Godwine been on quelling dissent in the broader population, that he had ignored the rising levels of dissatisfaction in his own forces.  In Hærfestmath of 114 PC, Osbeorn Swordsmith, a commander in the royal host, simply marched his legions out of the gates of Folkhame and defected en masse to the southern cause.  Osbeorn was a nobleman of a long-established house that prized honor, and like Leofric before him, decided that his honor would not allow him to serve a king who had become his subjects’ enemy.  According to the reports, took his legions outside the gates, stood before them and announced, “We are marching south to join in the defense of the southern lands from this monster of a king.  Any man who wishes to stay may do so without penalty.” According to those same reports, not a single soldier left.  Many have speculated as to why Osbeorn did not simply command his legions to take control of Folkhame itself and become king. Speculation has long focused on whether Osbeorn had the numbers to accomplish this task and has largely ignored the reality that to someone of Osbeorn’s background, such a betrayal would never have been honorable, whereas riding to the defense of an oppressed population (and one in sore need of experienced military leadership) was honorable.  One apocryphal report states that as they rode south, one of Osbeorn’s captains said to him, “The king truly is insane,” whereupon Osbeorn is said to have replied, “The king is not insane, kingship is insane.” ===The Intervention (113-112 PC)=== The ongoing crisis in Greatvale eventually became one of tremendous concern to the surrounding realms.  Godwine himself had never been popular and initially the rebellion brought comfort to some of the other powers in the region, especially to Zajjasu of Carmadh.  But as the conflict wore on, it became clear that the <em>nature </em>of the rebellion was a bigger threat than Godwine himself had ever been.  Two dissident realms had established themselves in the north and south of Greatvale and neither one had proclaimed a king. In fact, they had both declared themselves to be intentionally free of a king.  Fearing the political instability this might bring about in their own realms, the surrounding powers all sent expeditionary forces into Greatvale to shore up Godwine and help to quell the rebellions. Initially, southern forces were taken aback by the foreign intervention, and heavy losses were suffered in the initial encounters, particularly in Wulfred’s Byland and in the south-east marches below the Eastvale Mountains.  However, Osbeorn led a force into the Byland and met Zajjasu’s forces at the edge of the Deepwood.  Osbeorn’s army routed Zajjasu completely and by the end of the engagement had secured the entirety of the Deepwood under southern control.  Some have speculated that Osbeorn took the Deepwood as an insult to Godwine who had precipitated the entire crisis when he had set out to do so five years earlier. In the north, Leofric sent a host to engage an army attempting to invade through the Upgang Pass. Leofric sent a local militia commander named Weland who had impressed Leofric with his skill.  Weland was also from near the pass and his knowledge of the pass helped him to defeat a force that outnumbered his two-to-one. Leofric himself took a great army and marched south toward Folkhame.  Godwine had foolishly believed that the intervention was turning the tide and so had sent two armies out of Folkhame to retake the south and west vales.  A separate force from Brandwyck intercepted Godwine’s western host and fought a battle there that, while not decisive, did cause the force to retreat back to Folkhame.  A second royalist force traveled along the Tidewater but was constantly harassed by southern forces as they made their way south and were never able to meet up with the interventionist forces as had been hoped.  In fact, the intervention only served to stoke the fires of rebellion among the towns and cities of Greatvale, for now it was clear that Godwine was in league with Greatvale's enemies.  And while most were wise enough to realize that the foreign powers were doing this to advance their own interests, the symbolism of their king fighting alongside foreign forces to oppress his own people was too powerful to ignore and served to galvanize the entire rebellion. On the 10th day of [[Midmath]] 112 PC, Godwine took his remaining forces from Folkhame and marched north to meet Leofric’s host that had been traveling south along the east shore of the Tidewater. ===Campaign’s End (111-110 PC)=== On the 15th day of Regenmath 111 PC, Godwine’s armies engaged Leofric’s host at the north ford of the Tidewater.  In a battle that lasted two days, Leofric defeated Godwine who took his army and fled west to the Westvale Mountains.  Leofric followed in pursuit, stopping only to establish a garrison at Folkhame.  Leofric left strict instruction that no one was to be harmed in the city, that the boroughmoot was to be restored to power and that the provision of the people’s material need should be a priority.  What few members of the Ealdormoot who remained convened at the same time and disavowed all the decrees against Leofric and Osbeorn that they had issued under Godwine’s direction. Leofric continued west in pursuit of Godwine only to encounter another royalist force in the midvale. This force had been the one previously sent west and defeated by another northern army the previous year. This army was utterly destroyed.  Most of the soldiers fled dropping their weapons and casting off what armor they had as they ran.  Those who remained to fight were vastly outmatched by a better led army, and one with a far higher morale.  In fact, many of the residents of the region, remembering the King’s March, joined with Leofric’s forces as the battle raged or served as pickets around the battlefield, capturing fleeing royalist soldiers. In the end, Leofric continued his march west with surprisingly few casualties. At the base of the Heofodbend Mountain, he was joined by the northern host and by Osbeorn’s army, returned from the Deepwood, minus a border garrison. Godwine had entrenched himself up the mountain at the Crown’s Keep and been joined by the remnants of another royalist host that had been sent into the south without success. Leofric and Osbeorn longed for war to be over, but they knew that an assault on the keep would be a disaster and would cost thousands of men.  The forces of north and south began to lay siege on the keep. By Cyrtenmath, the siege was entering its sixth month without an end in sight.  Leofric and Osbeorn’s forces had constructed impressive siege equipment and were in the midst of planning a massive assault to take the keep and end the war once and for all when a strange visitor begged entrance into the camp.  An old man dressed simply in black sackcloth, begged an audience with the generals.  After having the man searched for any weapons, they admitted him into their presence. He identified himself as Kyrion Halfmage of House Akkadon, the royal house of Carmadh, and a member of the Order of the Sun. He offered a solution to the impasse: the gates of the Crown Keep would open and the soldiers of Godwine’s army would be allowed to return to their homes in exchange for an oath of fealty to Leofric and Osbeorn.  Godwine himself would be allowed to live, but would spend his days in the Royal Crypt under the care of the Order of the Sun.  The Order of the Sun would be granted perpetual dominion over the crypt in exchange for the House of Wulfred dropping any claim to the throne of Greatvale. Leofric responded that the soldiers of Godwine’s army must swear oaths of fealty not to them but to the Ealdormoot of Greatvale.  Osbeorn insisted that all royal and noble houses drop claims to the throne of Greatvale and insisted that the throne itself accompany Godwine into the tomb.  Kyrion Halfmage was startled by these demands and replied, “Then who shall be king?” “No one,” was the joint reply. Halfmage agreed to the terms as laid out by Leofric and Osbeorn and left the camp. Within a week’s time, the first of the defenders of Crown’s Keep began to emerge, each dropping their weapons as they descended the slope of the mountain, giving the place the name Spear’s Fall.  After the army was entirely disbanded, Kyrion Halfmage emerged from the keep with four attendants and another man now dressed only in black sackcloth.  As the man walked by, it was clear that this was Godwine III Beorcyning. Many of the soldiers of the combined armies spat on the ground as he walked by. Others shouted curses or hurled mud and dirt.  But no one unsheathed a sword or lowered a spear: Leofric and Osbeorn had been clear in their orders. Joining in the procession was a cart that had come from Folkhame, bearing the throne of the king.  The jeers for the chair were almost as loud as the jeers for Godwine and many of the soldiers offered grass to the oxen bearing the cart as a sign of camaraderie in the service of liberating the land of the king. As they procession left the armies’ combined camp, Osbeorn asked his steward what food they had available to feast with. The steward replied that because they were preparing to break camp, most of the provisions had been stowed; all they had at hand were a few loaves of bread and some dates. Osbeorn replied, “There was never so sweet a feast as the one of bread and dates that we shall share tonight.”  He and Leofric shared this meal with their stewards, whom they insisted join them in the feast, not as servants, but as brothers-in-arms. A special honor guard accompanied the men from the Order of the Sun on their long march to the Royal Crypt, both to protect them from harm and to ensure that they went inside. Once Kyrion and Godwine and their party entered the Tomb, the door was locked from the inside and the guard took position around the entrance.  A peasant girl brought a wreath to lay at the tomb. Reports vary but some claim this was Leafday Sceaphyrd, the youngest daughter of Swithin Sceaphyrd of Oxbridge.  When the soldiers asked her, “You’re not laying that wreath for Godwine, are you?” she replied, “No, for all those who lost their lives because of Godwine.” “Good,” said one soldier, “because that king was insane.” “No,” she replied, “Kingship is insane.” ==Establishment of the Folkdeed of Greatvale== Leofric and Osbeorn returned to Folkhame but disbanded the bulk of their armies on the way, telling each man to return to his home, tend his flocks or fields. Only garrison forces were left to safeguard important locations. When Leofric and Osbeorn entered into the chambers of the Ealdormoot, they did so in civilian clothing, shocking the members of the Ealdormoot who had expected to find themselves under the thumb of their new liberators. Leofric had summoned the members of the boroughmoot of Brandwyck, and Osbeorn those of Fiscerehæfen to participate in the session. Each delegation having been instructed to seek to extend the folkdeed across all the lands of Greatvale. Leofric stood before them and said, “My countrymen and women, the people of Greatvale are finally free of tyranny. Do not pick up the broken shards of the past; forge something new.  Now that all the royal and noble houses have quit their claims on the throne, Greatvale truly belongs to her people. You have an opportunity to give them a government worthy of their suffering and sacrifice.” Over the ensuring weeks, the reorganization of Greatvale was deliberated and ultimately decided upon in the fashion it is known today.  Leofric and Osbeorn were elected the first two Rædgivers of the Folkdeed and Frithuswith was elected its first Witeger. The election of three nobles to these important posts at first appeared to undermine the Folkdeed’s assertion of equality, but many understood this as important buy-in by the nobles for the cause of the Folkdeed.  Leofric, Osbeorn, and Frithuswith were also the first to ritually disinherit their sons at the age of seventeen, establishing a custom for those who held the offices of Rædgiver and Witeger, a custom that would eventually also include the Ealdormoot, and finally, all of Greatvale.  Leofric and Osbeorn served out their terms before being succeeded by two commoners.  Leofric and Osbeorn would be elected to Rædgiver again over their careers in public life, but would only serve together for this first two-year period. Frithuswith, despite her frequent criticism of Leofric and Osbeorn in their roles as Rædgivers, would remain close friends with both men the rest of their lives. ==Legacy of the Long Campaign== There were those who lamented the length of the war and the cost of life, but others were quick to note that the Long Campaign had given Greatvale sufficient time to let go of its past and to imagine something new.  The Long Campaign had also cemented anti-monarchist sentiment in the population, such that when the Ealdormoot placed the proposed plan before the people, few objected that it lacked a king. Others have noted that had the Folkdeed not been born in such circumstances and placed in the crucible of the Long Campaign, it could never have survived the Catastrophe or the Lost Time that followed. [[Category:Events]] 144ab2ac996461bc349dfee392a982ffb630cb73 128 127 2014-03-16T18:39:43Z Schaef 3364594 /* Rebellion in the South (114 – 113 PC) */ wikitext text/x-wiki The Long Campaign is the name given to the nine-year long civil war that removed the Last King of [[Greatvale]] and established the republic known as the [[Folkdeed of Greatvale]]. ==Background== In the year 120 PC, Archon Zajjasu of Carmadh celebrated the tenth year of his reign with a hunting party.  This hunting party attracted some of the great nobles and leaders of the western Sunrise Lands. Notably absent from the invitation was King Godwine III Beorncyning of Greatvale, though few were surprised by this, as relations between Carmadh and Greatvale were cool at the time. Zajjasu took his hunting party along the western side of the Kiting Mountains, the name by which Carmadh refers to the Westvale Mountains.  Toward the end of the expedition, Zajjasu led his party into the Deepwood, the forest to the south of the Westvale Mountains that marks the boundary between Carmadh and Greatvale. Although at this time the border had never been firmly established between the two realms, the woods were considered something of a “neutral zone” between the kingdoms, available for ordinary use by the people, but off limits for military or commercial use. When Godwine became aware of Zajjasu’s party’s presence in the Deepwood, the slight of his non-invitation became insult.  He declared that Carmadh’s presence in the Deepwood was an affront to all of Greatvale and especially to the honor of his house. To announce his response, he spoke before the Ealdormoot, many of whom were skeptical, but since Godwine merely convened the gathering to declare his intention rather than seek their counsel, their opinions were largely irrelevant. This followed a long pattern of erratic behavior on the part of Godwine and his increasing indifference toward the opinions of the nobles and aristocrats who made up the Ealdormoot. On the first day of [[Lenctenmath]] 118 PC, Godwine led a great host out from Folkhame toward the Deepwood to engage Zajjasu and to secure the Deepwood once and for all as Greatvale territory. On the way west, the army camped outside the town of Oxbridge, near the farm of Swithin Sceaphyrd, a commoner landholder.  During the encampment, the men of Godwine’s host resupplied themselves with the produce of Sceaphyrd’s farm, slaughtered his flocks, and at one point, seized his daughters for the “comfort” of the troops.  Sceaphyrd pleaded to the king for justice for his daughters and restitution for his lost crops and livestock.  The king rejected Sceaphyrd’s plea and sent him away. The king was reported to have said, “The problems of peasants are nothing when the honor of kings is at stake.” Devastated, Sceaphyrd went to the Boroughmoot of Oxbridge and requested their aid.  The Boroughmoot authorized their Ealdorman, Hrothgar of Wildewood, himself a cousin to Godwine, to petition the King for mercy through the Ealdormoot. Ealdor Hrothgar was in Oxbridge at the time and agreed to speak to his cousin for restitution and return of the girls. When Hrothgar appeared before the king, Godwine became so incensed that his judgment was being questioned, by his kin and his subjects, that he had Hrothgar arrested as a traitor and bound in irons.  He then dispatched a legion to raze Oxbridge to the ground as a “town in rebellion.” Swithun Sceaphyrd and his family were all executed as sympathizers to the Carmadh cause, though it is sometimes believed that one of his daughters escaped.  Every member of the Boroughmoot was nailed to the walls of Oxbridge before they were set on fire. ==Leofric’s Rebellion== Leofric of Brandwyck, a Hundredman in Godwine’s army was witness to the razing of Oxbridge as he rode with some of his officers on sentry around the camp.  Having become convinced that the king, after a long history of erratic behavior, had in fact gone mad, he and his officers rode as fast as they could back to Folkhame with news of the destruction of Oxbridge. The Ealdormoot was greatly distressed to hear the news, but opted to take no action—half of the members were either kin or appointees of the king. Many even criticized Leofric for raising the matter during a time of national crisis, a crisis, Leofric noted, that had been started by this same mad king. Leofric took the curious, and at the time, novel action of resigning his commission to the Ealdormoot rather than to the king, saying that his honor as a soldier would not allow him to continue to serve a king who was enemy to his own subjects.  He would not speak on behalf of his officers, but all of them followed suit and resigned before the Ealdormoot. Leofric and his officers rode north headed toward Brandwyck.  En route they were intercepted by a rider who bore a surprising message: a number of the Ealdormen and -women shared Leofric’s concerns about the king and wished to meet with him.  A day later, in a back room at the Fly &amp; Eel Inn, Leofric and his men met with Æthelræd of Whitshollow, Frithuswith of Northmarch, and Hereweald of Eoford. The members of the Ealdormoot told Leofric that they had had some concerns about the king for some time, noting that his edicts had grown more and more erratic and that this entire venture against Carmadh was forced down the Ealdormoot’s throat.  As the conversation went late into the night, the list of the king’s follies and crimes grew longer and longer as the Ealdors shared what they knew.  At each report, Leofric became more and more disturbed and agitated. Finally, Æthelræd stated bluntly, “The king is insane,” to which Leofric famously replied: S<em>e cyning is ne wodseoc; cyningscipe biđ wodseoc</em> - ”The king is not insane; king<em>ship </em>is insane.” He went on to note the injustices perpetrated by practically every king after King Cynric I, even the kings they considered “good”, and noted that it was the entire structure that bred this kind of evil.  Some of his officers shared stories of horrors from neighboring realms.  And every once in a while one of the company would simply utter: “The king is not insane; kingship is insane.” As they paused at one point, simply to reflect on what had been said, Frithuswith sat forward in her chair and asked: “Who is Greatvale for, in the end? The King or the people?” Leofric stood and announced his intention to continue his ride north and there to rally the people to declare a free state independent of the crown. The Ealdors agreed that they would return to Folkhame to try to discern how many of the Ealdormoot would support such action. Leofric rode north to Brandwyck and shared with the Boroughmoot what had taken place in Oxbridge and the other reports of the king’s misdeeds. The Boroughmoot reacted with horror but were reluctant to take action. “What course do we have available to us?” one member reportedly asked. “Shall we set up for ourselves a king in the north against whom some later valiant son will have to rebel?” Leofric replied, “There will be no king in the north, and if the fates are with us, there will be no king in the south. Our task is to create a work of the people, a <em>folkdeed</em>.” The Boroughmoot affirmed the idea and on the 12th day of Blostmath 118 PC, the free and independent Folkdeed of Northvale was declared.  Leofric was offered the post of Lord Protector but declined, arguing that he could better support the new state as a general and pleaded with the Boroughmoot to govern as a council.  In later years, Leofric is reported to have said, “Had I taken the office, even though it have a different title, I would have been a king; and I had seen enough of kingship to know that I was not strong enough a man to resist its corruptions.” Leofric went to the neighboring estates and holdfasts, personally appealing for support. It was said that such was Leofric’s passion, valor, and charm that he often persuaded people within the first minutes of his conversation with them.  Within a month the whole of the Northvale and the Northmarch had allied themselves with the fledgling state in Brandwyck.  Leofric proved an impressive commander and within a few weeks had established defenses for the new realm that were the rival of anything the Kingdom had ever produced. ==The Campaign== ===The King’s March (118-116 PC)=== When King Godwine was told of what had happened in Brandwyck he was outraged.  He quickly broke camp and returned to Folkhame with his entire army, save a couple of legions to guard the frontier, which he still believed was about to be invaded by Carmadh. When he arrived in Folkhame, he disbanded the Ealdormoot and placed many of the members under house arrest. Godwine believed that Brandwyck could never have done what it did without either aid or encouragement from the Ealdormoot and set out to determine who in the council had betrayed him. [[File:lc1.png|200px|thumb|right|The King's March]] While the Kingdom of Greatvale had never been anything remotely resembling a participatory democracy, the Ealdormoot had long been a respected advisory body, and helped the nobles to feel involved in the kingdom and giving them a sense of ownership.  Now, those same nobles were being rounded up and imprisoned by the king and his agents.  Æthelræd of Whitshollow was thrown into a dungeon and eventually died under torture.  Frithuswith of Northmarch and Hereweald of Eoford were able to escape Folkhame and were taken north by agents of Leofric. Godwine’s measures in Folkhame were brutal and achieved a measure of success; all dissension was quelled in the capital and when the Ealdormoot was eventually reconvened, it declared all of Godwine’s actions to be legal and necessary in defense of the realm.  They declared the Northvale and Northmarch as territories in rebellion and as traitors deserving of death. Any member of the Ealdormoot who was not in attendance or who would not sign a proxy letter was declared anathema and placed under an order of condemnation. Godwine dismissed Folkhome’s boroughmoot and left a governor in charge of the city. Feeling that the situation in Folkhame had been stabilized, he took his army north into the surrounding countryside to root out rebel sympathizers. There was no method to the king’s effort to root out enemies of the crown.  At times he appeared to select targets on a whim, burning down farms and even entire villages because he <em>knew</em> they had to be part of this rebellion. For two years, Godwine’s army terrorized the central valley on either side of the Great Tidewater. Entreaties by the Ealdormoot to return to Folkhome and take his place on the throne were ignored. In all this time, Godwine made not one attempt to enter the lands that had declared independence.  All of his activity took place on land that was considered to be loyal. Over the course of the King’s March, it is believed that some 30,000 Greatvalers died at the hands of the king’s army. ===The Siege of the North (116-114 PC)=== Having been satisfied that the lands behind him were now free of treason, Godwine set his eyes on the north country.  In Sonnemath of 116, he led his host north along the Great Tidewater toward Brandwyck.  Leofric had by this time erected fortifications all along the ridge line, preserving the high vale territories, on which much grain could be grown, but also the mills of the the upper Tidewater.  Had Godwine marched north immediately, rather than needlessly terrorizing the southern and central countryside, he would have caught the Folkdeed in a much more disadvantaged state. [[File:lc.png|200px|thumb|right|Leofric's fortifications]] As it was, the king’s host was prevented from moving further up the valley; the fortifications were sufficient to hold Godwine’s advance but not to drive it back completely.  One of the great strengths of the Kingdom of Greatvale is that the entire geography is something of a fortress. The mountain that surround the valley are exceptionally difficult to cross in great numbers and the safe passes are few.  Godwine decided to use this to his advantage.  He decided to lay siege to Northvale and starve them out. He dispatched two legions to secure the passes to the north and northeast of the vale. In one case, he illegally sent troops over foreign soil to block the pass from the back end. [[File:lc2.png|200px|thumb|right|Siege of the North]] Leofric dispatched as many forces as he could to defend the passes from incursion, but knew he did not have enough strength to dislodge the king’s troops and maintain the defenses along his southern fortifications.  The Brandwyck boroughmoot established programs to store food as best as possible. Great storehouses were constructed for grain. A woman named Hilda, widow to Eadmund Fiscere, led a band of people north into the mountains to carve out great chunks of ice and bring them down into the vale by sledge. They placed these large pieces of ice in the ground and built structures over them.  These “Hilda’s Iceboxes” became huge storage centers for fish from Lake Sworetunga  and other perishable produce of the region. Initially, people were asked to sacrifice a meal a day to save on food and then two; by the end of the siege, these conditions would be considered feasting. The winter of 116-115 PC was relatively mild with a late fall and an early spring. Food production was diminished but was still able to provide for the people of Northvale.  The winter of 115-114 PC was brutal and early frosts were hard on fruit trees.  The depth of the ice on Lake Sworetunga made fishing difficult and the yields of fish were much lower that year.  In addition, Godwine sent raiding parties across the frontier to set fire to fields just before harvest, devastating entire communities.  This, in turn, led to the development of the Folkeored, a mounted regiment who could patrol the farmlands and respond quickly to any reports of firing of fields.  The Folkeored was ultimately able to capture or kill most of those who came on raiding parties but not before those parties exacted a heavy toll. ===Rebellion in the South (114 – 113 PC)=== Ultimately, the rescue of the north did not come from Leofric’s armies or the Folkeored, but from the peoples of the south.  The siege on Northvale had had disastrous effects on the economies of the south, especially the trading and merchant fleets of Fralin’s Deep.  By the second century P.C., Greatvale had established itself as a seagoing, mercantile power in the region.  There was a high demand for the quality linen and much of the produce of the northern vale.  Godwine’s siege of the north had prevented any goods from leaving and the commercial interests of the south were suffering the effects.  The southern merchants had petitioned the king repeatedly through the Ealdormoot, but as with everything else, those petitions went unheeded.  As the siege dragged on, rumblings in the south that the king was no longer a protector of the realm but a maniac bent on punishment of those who defied him began to increase.  The horrors of the King’s March were now becoming more and more well-known as reports of the king’s indiscriminate justice began to travel the realm. [[File:lc3.png|200px|thumb|right|The southern rebellion]] In Regenmath of 114, the boroughmoot of Fiscerehæfen declared itself independent of the crown even going so far as to declare themselves to be the <em>folkdeed </em>of Fiscerehæfen. Seven other coastal cities followed suit and before long were calling themselves the Folkdeed of Southvale. Town militias and other companies of volunteers were hastily put together and marched north to secure important roads and trade routes. One company marched into Wulfred’s Byland to secure important grain resources. When word of the southern rebellion reached Godwine in the north, he immediately pulled his forces back and marched on Folkhame. His advance was slowed by muddy roads and ironically by the lack of provisions in the central valley due to his harsh campaigning there two years before. By the time Godwine reached Folkhame, the city had lost half its population to flight.  Tens of thousands streamed south into the lands of the Southvale Folkdeed. The governor whom Godwine had placed in charge of Folkhome after disbanding the city’s boroughmoot, ruled with an excessively heavy hand in an effort to quell any dissent. When Godwine got to Folkhame, he found it essentially plundered, as the city’s residents had taken everything of value they could, the most valuable thing being themselves as the city’s workforce.  Godwine executed his governor for incompetence and immediately dispatched his soldiers around the city to shore up the defenses and attain provision. Godwine was still under the impression that his force was the strongest, and in strictly speaking numeric terms this may have been the case. But by this time, after four years of war that had done little to quell the northern rebellion and had succeeded in igniting a southern one, many in the royal army were demoralized.  In fact, so intent had Godwine been on quelling dissent in the broader population, that he had ignored the rising levels of dissatisfaction in his own forces.  In Hærfestmath of 114 PC, Osbeorn Swordsmith, a commander in the royal host, simply marched his legions out of the gates of Folkhame and defected en masse to the southern cause.  Osbeorn was a nobleman of a long-established house that prized honor, and like Leofric before him, decided that his honor would not allow him to serve a king who had become his subjects’ enemy.  According to the reports, took his legions outside the gates, stood before them and announced, “We are marching south to join in the defense of the southern lands from this monster of a king.  Any man who wishes to stay may do so without penalty.” According to those same reports, not a single soldier left.  Many have speculated as to why Osbeorn did not simply command his legions to take control of Folkhame itself and become king. Speculation has long focused on whether Osbeorn had the numbers to accomplish this task and has largely ignored the reality that to someone of Osbeorn’s background, such a betrayal would never have been honorable, whereas riding to the defense of an oppressed population (and one in sore need of experienced military leadership) was honorable.  One apocryphal report states that as they rode south, one of Osbeorn’s captains said to him, “The king truly is insane,” whereupon Osbeorn is said to have replied, “The king is not insane, kingship is insane.” ===The Intervention (113-112 PC)=== The ongoing crisis in Greatvale eventually became one of tremendous concern to the surrounding realms.  Godwine himself had never been popular and initially the rebellion brought comfort to some of the other powers in the region, especially to Zajjasu of Carmadh.  But as the conflict wore on, it became clear that the <em>nature </em>of the rebellion was a bigger threat than Godwine himself had ever been.  Two dissident realms had established themselves in the north and south of Greatvale and neither one had proclaimed a king. In fact, they had both declared themselves to be intentionally free of a king.  Fearing the political instability this might bring about in their own realms, the surrounding powers all sent expeditionary forces into Greatvale to shore up Godwine and help to quell the rebellions. Initially, southern forces were taken aback by the foreign intervention, and heavy losses were suffered in the initial encounters, particularly in Wulfred’s Byland and in the south-east marches below the Eastvale Mountains.  However, Osbeorn led a force into the Byland and met Zajjasu’s forces at the edge of the Deepwood.  Osbeorn’s army routed Zajjasu completely and by the end of the engagement had secured the entirety of the Deepwood under southern control.  Some have speculated that Osbeorn took the Deepwood as an insult to Godwine who had precipitated the entire crisis when he had set out to do so five years earlier. In the north, Leofric sent a host to engage an army attempting to invade through the Upgang Pass. Leofric sent a local militia commander named Weland who had impressed Leofric with his skill.  Weland was also from near the pass and his knowledge of the pass helped him to defeat a force that outnumbered his two-to-one. Leofric himself took a great army and marched south toward Folkhame.  Godwine had foolishly believed that the intervention was turning the tide and so had sent two armies out of Folkhame to retake the south and west vales.  A separate force from Brandwyck intercepted Godwine’s western host and fought a battle there that, while not decisive, did cause the force to retreat back to Folkhame.  A second royalist force traveled along the Tidewater but was constantly harassed by southern forces as they made their way south and were never able to meet up with the interventionist forces as had been hoped.  In fact, the intervention only served to stoke the fires of rebellion among the towns and cities of Greatvale, for now it was clear that Godwine was in league with Greatvale's enemies.  And while most were wise enough to realize that the foreign powers were doing this to advance their own interests, the symbolism of their king fighting alongside foreign forces to oppress his own people was too powerful to ignore and served to galvanize the entire rebellion. On the 10th day of [[Midmath]] 112 PC, Godwine took his remaining forces from Folkhame and marched north to meet Leofric’s host that had been traveling south along the east shore of the Tidewater. ===Campaign’s End (111-110 PC)=== On the 15th day of Regenmath 111 PC, Godwine’s armies engaged Leofric’s host at the north ford of the Tidewater.  In a battle that lasted two days, Leofric defeated Godwine who took his army and fled west to the Westvale Mountains.  Leofric followed in pursuit, stopping only to establish a garrison at Folkhame.  Leofric left strict instruction that no one was to be harmed in the city, that the boroughmoot was to be restored to power and that the provision of the people’s material need should be a priority.  What few members of the Ealdormoot who remained convened at the same time and disavowed all the decrees against Leofric and Osbeorn that they had issued under Godwine’s direction. Leofric continued west in pursuit of Godwine only to encounter another royalist force in the midvale. This force had been the one previously sent west and defeated by another northern army the previous year. This army was utterly destroyed.  Most of the soldiers fled dropping their weapons and casting off what armor they had as they ran.  Those who remained to fight were vastly outmatched by a better led army, and one with a far higher morale.  In fact, many of the residents of the region, remembering the King’s March, joined with Leofric’s forces as the battle raged or served as pickets around the battlefield, capturing fleeing royalist soldiers. In the end, Leofric continued his march west with surprisingly few casualties. At the base of the Heofodbend Mountain, he was joined by the northern host and by Osbeorn’s army, returned from the Deepwood, minus a border garrison. Godwine had entrenched himself up the mountain at the Crown’s Keep and been joined by the remnants of another royalist host that had been sent into the south without success. Leofric and Osbeorn longed for war to be over, but they knew that an assault on the keep would be a disaster and would cost thousands of men.  The forces of north and south began to lay siege on the keep. By Cyrtenmath, the siege was entering its sixth month without an end in sight.  Leofric and Osbeorn’s forces had constructed impressive siege equipment and were in the midst of planning a massive assault to take the keep and end the war once and for all when a strange visitor begged entrance into the camp.  An old man dressed simply in black sackcloth, begged an audience with the generals.  After having the man searched for any weapons, they admitted him into their presence. He identified himself as Kyrion Halfmage of House Akkadon, the royal house of Carmadh, and a member of the Order of the Sun. He offered a solution to the impasse: the gates of the Crown Keep would open and the soldiers of Godwine’s army would be allowed to return to their homes in exchange for an oath of fealty to Leofric and Osbeorn.  Godwine himself would be allowed to live, but would spend his days in the Royal Crypt under the care of the Order of the Sun.  The Order of the Sun would be granted perpetual dominion over the crypt in exchange for the House of Wulfred dropping any claim to the throne of Greatvale. Leofric responded that the soldiers of Godwine’s army must swear oaths of fealty not to them but to the Ealdormoot of Greatvale.  Osbeorn insisted that all royal and noble houses drop claims to the throne of Greatvale and insisted that the throne itself accompany Godwine into the tomb.  Kyrion Halfmage was startled by these demands and replied, “Then who shall be king?” “No one,” was the joint reply. Halfmage agreed to the terms as laid out by Leofric and Osbeorn and left the camp. Within a week’s time, the first of the defenders of Crown’s Keep began to emerge, each dropping their weapons as they descended the slope of the mountain, giving the place the name Spear’s Fall.  After the army was entirely disbanded, Kyrion Halfmage emerged from the keep with four attendants and another man now dressed only in black sackcloth.  As the man walked by, it was clear that this was Godwine III Beorcyning. Many of the soldiers of the combined armies spat on the ground as he walked by. Others shouted curses or hurled mud and dirt.  But no one unsheathed a sword or lowered a spear: Leofric and Osbeorn had been clear in their orders. Joining in the procession was a cart that had come from Folkhame, bearing the throne of the king.  The jeers for the chair were almost as loud as the jeers for Godwine and many of the soldiers offered grass to the oxen bearing the cart as a sign of camaraderie in the service of liberating the land of the king. As they procession left the armies’ combined camp, Osbeorn asked his steward what food they had available to feast with. The steward replied that because they were preparing to break camp, most of the provisions had been stowed; all they had at hand were a few loaves of bread and some dates. Osbeorn replied, “There was never so sweet a feast as the one of bread and dates that we shall share tonight.”  He and Leofric shared this meal with their stewards, whom they insisted join them in the feast, not as servants, but as brothers-in-arms. A special honor guard accompanied the men from the Order of the Sun on their long march to the Royal Crypt, both to protect them from harm and to ensure that they went inside. Once Kyrion and Godwine and their party entered the Tomb, the door was locked from the inside and the guard took position around the entrance.  A peasant girl brought a wreath to lay at the tomb. Reports vary but some claim this was Leafday Sceaphyrd, the youngest daughter of Swithin Sceaphyrd of Oxbridge.  When the soldiers asked her, “You’re not laying that wreath for Godwine, are you?” she replied, “No, for all those who lost their lives because of Godwine.” “Good,” said one soldier, “because that king was insane.” “No,” she replied, “Kingship is insane.” ==Establishment of the Folkdeed of Greatvale== Leofric and Osbeorn returned to Folkhame but disbanded the bulk of their armies on the way, telling each man to return to his home, tend his flocks or fields. Only garrison forces were left to safeguard important locations. When Leofric and Osbeorn entered into the chambers of the Ealdormoot, they did so in civilian clothing, shocking the members of the Ealdormoot who had expected to find themselves under the thumb of their new liberators. Leofric had summoned the members of the boroughmoot of Brandwyck, and Osbeorn those of Fiscerehæfen to participate in the session. Each delegation having been instructed to seek to extend the folkdeed across all the lands of Greatvale. Leofric stood before them and said, “My countrymen and women, the people of Greatvale are finally free of tyranny. Do not pick up the broken shards of the past; forge something new.  Now that all the royal and noble houses have quit their claims on the throne, Greatvale truly belongs to her people. You have an opportunity to give them a government worthy of their suffering and sacrifice.” Over the ensuring weeks, the reorganization of Greatvale was deliberated and ultimately decided upon in the fashion it is known today.  Leofric and Osbeorn were elected the first two Rædgivers of the Folkdeed and Frithuswith was elected its first Witeger. The election of three nobles to these important posts at first appeared to undermine the Folkdeed’s assertion of equality, but many understood this as important buy-in by the nobles for the cause of the Folkdeed.  Leofric, Osbeorn, and Frithuswith were also the first to ritually disinherit their sons at the age of seventeen, establishing a custom for those who held the offices of Rædgiver and Witeger, a custom that would eventually also include the Ealdormoot, and finally, all of Greatvale.  Leofric and Osbeorn served out their terms before being succeeded by two commoners.  Leofric and Osbeorn would be elected to Rædgiver again over their careers in public life, but would only serve together for this first two-year period. Frithuswith, despite her frequent criticism of Leofric and Osbeorn in their roles as Rædgivers, would remain close friends with both men the rest of their lives. ==Legacy of the Long Campaign== There were those who lamented the length of the war and the cost of life, but others were quick to note that the Long Campaign had given Greatvale sufficient time to let go of its past and to imagine something new.  The Long Campaign had also cemented anti-monarchist sentiment in the population, such that when the Ealdormoot placed the proposed plan before the people, few objected that it lacked a king. Others have noted that had the Folkdeed not been born in such circumstances and placed in the crucible of the Long Campaign, it could never have survived the Catastrophe or the Lost Time that followed. [[Category:Events]] 78b735e0f699e3ef85b8f5d5bd5410aba6d02a50 0 49 86 2014-03-16T02:54:56Z Schaef 3364594 Created page with "On the 4th day of Windmath (4 Othalul) 1174 A.C., Hendryck and Æthelhilde of Fiscerehæfen welcomed their first born son, whom they named Aelfwine, after Æthelhilde’s gran..." wikitext text/x-wiki On the 4th day of Windmath (4 Othalul) 1174 A.C., Hendryck and Æthelhilde of Fiscerehæfen welcomed their first born son, whom they named Aelfwine, after Æthelhilde’s grandfather, a renown sea captain in that same port city of Fiscerehæfen. From a young age, Aelfwine demonstrated considerable intellectual acuity and his teachers in the city’s Leorninghus noted that he was an avid reader and consumer of stories. His parents, however, saw him entering the family business: a fleet of merchant ships engaged in trade along the west coast of the Sunrise Lands, from Carmadh down to Cape Verunnu in the south. Fortunately for Aelfwine, the Boroughmoot of Fiscerehæfen mandated a minimum of eight years of schooling for the children of the city. And so, while his parents would have happily placed him aboard ship as a midshipman at the age of nine, Aelfwine was required by law to remain in school for another four years. Aelfwine was seen as a serious child, rarely smiling but nevertheless demonstrating a biting wit. It was said that his wit was so dry even as a child that his comments in response to his classmates’ taunts would send his teachers into fits of laughter and leave his fellow classmates dumbfounded. Wyverun Larsmith, his teacher at the Leorninghus, told a story of a day when a larger boy, Brand, was picking on Aelfwine. After the older boy had finished his rather pedestrian insults, Aelfwine simply said, “Were the bliss your family must feel on account of your collective ignorance something we could bottle, we’d never have to trade with Carmadh for poppies again.” Aelfwine struggled with mathematics and the practical sciences, but excelled in history and lore and was said to be able to recite the entire list of Kings and Queens of the Old Kingdom from memory. Once, when challenged to do it by a fellow student who did not believe he could do it, he not only recited the complete list of monarchs, but followed with a complete list of all the rædgivers of the Folkdeed in chronological order. After his eight years of compulsory education, Aelfwine’s parents removed him from school and put him to work in the family shipping trade. Aelfwine worked well but not consistently; he was easily distracted, especially when working on something mundane. Whenever he was missing from where he was supposed to be he could invariably be found on the docks, talking with the mariners who’d come in from all around the world, asking them to share stories of their lands. He had a fantastic memory and voraciously consumed all the stories he heard, including the folklore and tall tales. He also demonstrated an aptitude for languages, picking up some of the Carmadhi, Trade Tongue, and Vulgar Thuva-Tha that he heard being used. At the age of fifteen, Aelfwine was sent on his first sea voyage on a trading mission along the northwest coast of the Sunrise Lands past Carmadh and the Vardani peninsula. It there he first encountered mariners from the Chain Islands who told even more fantastic tales of the peoples of the Sunset Lands. By this time, Aelfwine had perfected a method that would serve him well the rest of his life: he could draw out tremendous amounts of information from people by engaging in what would otherwise seem to be casual conversation. It would be on this trip that he would discover his calling: he wished to chronicle the history of the peoples of the world of Kadamu-nur-Shadju-a. Returning to Fiscerehæfen, he made his wishes known to his parents who did not support his desire to return to school and insisted he remain with the fleet. He approached Wyveryn Larsmith, his former teacher, and arranged to meet with her by night to continue his studies when possible. At one point, his father became aware that he was sneaking out at night, but assuming that his son was finally behaving like a normal young man, he ignored it and even made an effort to look the other way. When Aelfwine reached seventeen years of age, he was ritually disinherited by his parents, who expected him to continue with the merchant fleet in order to make a living. But Larsmith had been more than tutor to Aelfwine, she had been his advocate and managed to procure a grant from the prestigious Stærwritere Academy in Folkhame to continue his studies there. Aelfwine’s decision to enter the academy rather than continue in the merchant fleet was not taken well by his parents. As part concession to his parents and part need for funds for books, he continued to work the summers aboard ship, honing his skills at gathering lore while picking up new languages. After six years of study, Aelfwine was granted the status of Theodwita or “historian” by Stærwritere Academy and was selected by the Gaderung of Fiscerehæfen to serve as official historian for the city. Aelfwine was somewhat unorthodox in his style in that he spent far less time over dusty old tomes than his colleagues and far more time gathering lore from ordinary workers. He continued to make sea voyages a regular part of his work, traveling up and down the coast and even along the Chain Islands gathering lore as he traveled. He would often remark, “One fishwife will spin a tale of fancy that is mocked by even a few words of scroll, but twenty fishwives from twenty different realms offer a shared insight that shames the most learned scribe.” He was of the belief that all the peoples of the world had preserved fragments of the Elder Lore and that only by listening to the stories passed down among the peoples of the Lands Under the Sun could one hope to reconstruct the shared history of humanity. His theories were controversial and he was often mocked as one who was less historian than bard. In 1204, at the age of thirty, he presented to the Grand Conclave of Historians a theory about the origins of the peoples of Carmadh based on his reconstructions based on folklore and oral history. The speech generated two controversies. First, traditionalists felt the integrity of the Conclave was being insulted by such unorthodox methodology that allowed for such fantastical theories. Second, Wigmund, a scholar from the Folk College at Oxbridge accused Aelfwine of having stolen his research. On a trip to Carmadh to previous year, Wigmund had come into possession a very rare long lost scroll that contained actual documentation of much of what Aelfwine had concluded through his methodology. Once it became clear to the Conclave that Aelfwine could not possibly have had access to or known about the document, they realized that Aelfwine had truly forged something new. Aelfwine’s casual manner and fondness for interviewing ordinary people had blinded many in the Conclave to his exceptional skill, and carefulness, as a scholar. The following year, he was selected by the Gaderung of Education to serve as a Theodwita Folcdædes or “Historian of the Folkdeed,” a special honor for someone of his profession. In the succeeding years, he published the first ever history of the early patronages of the east as well as an exceptionally popular, if not somewhat controversial, biography of Eadlin Lahwita. At the age of 33, by recommendation of the Gaderung and upon confirmation of the Ealdormoot, he was elevated to the rank of Ealdwita or “Senior Historian,” the youngest person ever to be named to that rank. In recent years, Aelfwine had been formulating a theory about the links between the ancient houses of the Sunrise Lands with some of the realms of the Sunset Lands, but felt that his research was limited by the fact that he had never been to the Sunset Lands. And so, with permission from the Gaderung of Education, in 1210 A.C., Aelfwine chartered a ship from his family’s company and sailed west along the Chain Islands toward the Sunset Lands. He eventually arrived in Thumbport in the Bay of Fingers and, having hired a local guide, headed west toward Mithulan and the [[Kastan’ose]]. Hearing that Aelfwine had at last arrived in the Sunset Lands, Aelfric the Wise, Convener of the Gaderung of Education only remarked, “We shall have to see what Aelfwine’s time overseas will yield. I can only assure you this: our understanding of the world is very likely to change profoundly.” de9c84d74b9c5103a9969f94e681b67335c4bd57 87 86 2014-03-16T02:55:57Z Schaef 3364594 wikitext text/x-wiki On the 4th day of Windmath (4 Othalul) 1174 A.C., Hendryck and Æthelhilde of Fiscerehæfen welcomed their first born son, whom they named Aelfwine, after Æthelhilde’s grandfather, a renown sea captain in that same port city of Fiscerehæfen. From a young age, Aelfwine demonstrated considerable intellectual acuity and his teachers in the city’s Leorninghus noted that he was an avid reader and consumer of stories. His parents, however, saw him entering the family business: a fleet of merchant ships engaged in trade along the west coast of the Sunrise Lands, from Carmadh down to Cape Verunnu in the south. Fortunately for Aelfwine, the Boroughmoot of Fiscerehæfen mandated a minimum of eight years of schooling for the children of the city. And so, while his parents would have happily placed him aboard ship as a midshipman at the age of nine, Aelfwine was required by law to remain in school for another four years. Aelfwine was seen as a serious child, rarely smiling but nevertheless demonstrating a biting wit. It was said that his wit was so dry even as a child that his comments in response to his classmates’ taunts would send his teachers into fits of laughter and leave his fellow classmates dumbfounded. Wyverun Larsmith, his teacher at the Leorninghus, told a story of a day when a larger boy, Brand, was picking on Aelfwine. After the older boy had finished his rather pedestrian insults, Aelfwine simply said, “Were the bliss your family must feel on account of your collective ignorance something we could bottle, we’d never have to trade with Carmadh for poppies again.” Aelfwine struggled with mathematics and the practical sciences, but excelled in history and lore and was said to be able to recite the entire list of Kings and Queens of the Old Kingdom from memory. Once, when challenged to do it by a fellow student who did not believe he could do it, he not only recited the complete list of monarchs, but followed with a complete list of all the rædgivers of the Folkdeed in chronological order. After his eight years of compulsory education, Aelfwine’s parents removed him from school and put him to work in the family shipping trade. Aelfwine worked well but not consistently; he was easily distracted, especially when working on something mundane. Whenever he was missing from where he was supposed to be he could invariably be found on the docks, talking with the mariners who’d come in from all around the world, asking them to share stories of their lands. He had a fantastic memory and voraciously consumed all the stories he heard, including the folklore and tall tales. He also demonstrated an aptitude for languages, picking up some of the Carmadhi, Trade Tongue, and Vulgar Thuva-Tha that he heard being used. At the age of fifteen, Aelfwine was sent on his first sea voyage on a trading mission along the northwest coast of the Sunrise Lands past Carmadh and the Vardani peninsula. It there he first encountered mariners from the Chain Islands who told even more fantastic tales of the peoples of the Sunset Lands. By this time, Aelfwine had perfected a method that would serve him well the rest of his life: he could draw out tremendous amounts of information from people by engaging in what would otherwise seem to be casual conversation. It would be on this trip that he would discover his calling: he wished to chronicle the history of the peoples of the world of Kadamu-nur-Shadju-a. Returning to Fiscerehæfen, he made his wishes known to his parents who did not support his desire to return to school and insisted he remain with the fleet. He approached Wyveryn Larsmith, his former teacher, and arranged to meet with her by night to continue his studies when possible. At one point, his father became aware that he was sneaking out at night, but assuming that his son was finally behaving like a normal young man, he ignored it and even made an effort to look the other way. When Aelfwine reached seventeen years of age, he was ritually disinherited by his parents, who expected him to continue with the merchant fleet in order to make a living. But Larsmith had been more than tutor to Aelfwine, she had been his advocate and managed to procure a grant from the prestigious Stærwritere Academy in Folkhame to continue his studies there. Aelfwine’s decision to enter the academy rather than continue in the merchant fleet was not taken well by his parents. As part concession to his parents and part need for funds for books, he continued to work the summers aboard ship, honing his skills at gathering lore while picking up new languages. After six years of study, Aelfwine was granted the status of Theodwita or “historian” by Stærwritere Academy and was selected by the Gaderung of Fiscerehæfen to serve as official historian for the city. Aelfwine was somewhat unorthodox in his style in that he spent far less time over dusty old tomes than his colleagues and far more time gathering lore from ordinary workers. He continued to make sea voyages a regular part of his work, traveling up and down the coast and even along the Chain Islands gathering lore as he traveled. He would often remark, “One fishwife will spin a tale of fancy that is mocked by even a few words of scroll, but twenty fishwives from twenty different realms offer a shared insight that shames the most learned scribe.” He was of the belief that all the peoples of the world had preserved fragments of the Elder Lore and that only by listening to the stories passed down among the peoples of the Lands Under the Sun could one hope to reconstruct the shared history of humanity. His theories were controversial and he was often mocked as one who was less historian than bard. In 1204, at the age of thirty, he presented to the Grand Conclave of Historians a theory about the origins of the peoples of Carmadh based on his reconstructions based on folklore and oral history. The speech generated two controversies. First, traditionalists felt the integrity of the Conclave was being insulted by such unorthodox methodology that allowed for such fantastical theories. Second, Wigmund, a scholar from the Folk College at Oxbridge accused Aelfwine of having stolen his research. On a trip to Carmadh to previous year, Wigmund had come into possession a very rare long lost scroll that contained actual documentation of much of what Aelfwine had concluded through his methodology. Once it became clear to the Conclave that Aelfwine could not possibly have had access to or known about the document, they realized that Aelfwine had truly forged something new. Aelfwine’s casual manner and fondness for interviewing ordinary people had blinded many in the Conclave to his exceptional skill, and carefulness, as a scholar. The following year, he was selected by the Gaderung of Education to serve as a Theodwita Folcdædes or “Historian of the Folkdeed,” a special honor for someone of his profession. In the succeeding years, he published the first ever history of the early patronages of the east as well as an exceptionally popular, if not somewhat controversial, biography of Eadlin Lahwita. At the age of 33, by recommendation of the Gaderung and upon confirmation of the Ealdormoot, he was elevated to the rank of Ealdwita or “Senior Historian,” the youngest person ever to be named to that rank. In recent years, Aelfwine had been formulating a theory about the links between the ancient houses of the Sunrise Lands with some of the realms of the Sunset Lands, but felt that his research was limited by the fact that he had never been to the Sunset Lands. And so, with permission from the Gaderung of Education, in 1210 A.C., Aelfwine chartered a ship from his family’s company and sailed west along the Chain Islands toward the Sunset Lands. He eventually arrived in Thumbport in the Bay of Fingers and, having hired a local guide, headed west toward Mithulan and the [[Kastan’ose]]. Hearing that Aelfwine had at last arrived in the Sunset Lands, Aelfric the Wise, Convener of the Gaderung of Education only remarked, “We shall have to see what Aelfwine’s time overseas will yield. I can only assure you this: our understanding of the world is very likely to change profoundly.” [[Category:Characters]] d0c65ca7da4b6ded5ddc5d46333d45b719f2d8d4 0 51 89 2014-03-16T03:01:30Z Schaef 3364594 Created page with "Spotted throughout The [[Hidden Lands]] are water sources inhabited by two animals involved in a symbiotic relationship, one fire-based, the other water-based. Both feed on a ..." wikitext text/x-wiki Spotted throughout The [[Hidden Lands]] are water sources inhabited by two animals involved in a symbiotic relationship, one fire-based, the other water-based. Both feed on a victim’s spirit if they come too close to an inhabited lake or river. Fire-based “insects” lure victims in by distorting their reflection in the water as an image of their greatest desire – food, lovers, items, whatever – and when the creature reaches into the water for it, they immediately turn into water themselves. Their soul is devoured by the water-based creature therein. It feeds on the sorrowful memories of said victim and entering them into an eternity of reliving them, but discards the positive energy of that particular creature to feed the fire-based “flies.” However, if the “flies” ever actually touch the water, the entire water source and the creature therein will turn to a stunning gold-inlaid blue marble. If obtained, this marble is rumored to be the most precious item on the entire continent and is believed to heal all illness, grow any plant when buried, and even raise the dead or turn back time. Many explorers and fortune-seekers have met their ends searching for – or attempting to outsmart – these creatures and the water sources they inhabit. One survivor of a exploring group reported that his entire outfit of 37 men and women fell victim to the enchanting images superimposing their reflections in the water and, upon attempt to retrieve them, were engulfed. A few even tried to escape, but according to his report, their stifled cries and desperate reaches for land appeared to be nothing but treacherous waves splashing on the rocky shores. Shortly after relaying the story to a stranger in a pub, the traveler lost his mind in mourning for his lost friends. Images of the creatures are disputed among eyewitnesses and ancient documents uncovered throughout the land. The fire-based creatures are rumored to travel in swarms and to be very small, flighted, and warm to the touch — a key factor in their ability to lure victims toward the water at night when temperatures plummet below freezing. Some say their wings do not buzz, but hum – softly, and lyrically like a mother’s lullaby and often to a tune that is familiar or even meaningful to the victim. Once at the water’s edge, the victim instinctively looks into the water, expecting to see their own reflection, but actually visualizing the object of their deepest desire. The water-based creature is even more mysterious since nobody has ever actually seen it. Drawings on scrolls and the walls of ancient mountainous cave settlements suggest that it is a long, eel-like creature with an enormous gaping mouth lined with long, grotesque, needle-like teeth. Because sorrow is never seen, but felt, the monster lacks eyes and instead has seventeen humanoid “arms” projecting from its face and neck, used for grabbing its victims in the water and shoving their weeping souls into its mouth. Legend has it that when victims seem immune to the charms of the firefly-like creatures, the water monster will wave its “arms” above the water to create the illusion that someone is drowning in an attempt to appeal to the heroic side of passersby. Legend also says that the fangs of this creature, when removed from the skull, collapse into ash that burns the skin of someone that has been dishonest, deceitful, or treacherous. Oftentimes, parents of the human race would use this story and wave skinny sticks or animal bones at their children to scare them into telling them the truth when they’ve gotten into mischief. b4aee612e4b2a33b72a44b6e650513cc105e2bb2 91 89 2014-03-16T17:57:17Z Schaef 3364594 wikitext text/x-wiki Spotted throughout The [[Hidden Lands]] are water sources inhabited by two animals involved in a symbiotic relationship, one fire-based, the other water-based. Both feed on a victim’s spirit if they come too close to an inhabited lake or river. Fire-based “insects” lure victims in by distorting their reflection in the water as an image of their greatest desire – food, lovers, items, whatever – and when the creature reaches into the water for it, they immediately turn into water themselves. Their soul is devoured by the water-based creature therein. It feeds on the sorrowful memories of said victim and entering them into an eternity of reliving them, but discards the positive energy of that particular creature to feed the fire-based “flies.” However, if the “flies” ever actually touch the water, the entire water source and the creature therein will turn to a stunning gold-inlaid blue marble. If obtained, this marble is rumored to be the most precious item on the entire continent and is believed to heal all illness, grow any plant when buried, and even raise the dead or turn back time. Many explorers and fortune-seekers have met their ends searching for – or attempting to outsmart – these creatures and the water sources they inhabit. One survivor of a exploring group reported that his entire outfit of 37 men and women fell victim to the enchanting images superimposing their reflections in the water and, upon attempt to retrieve them, were engulfed. A few even tried to escape, but according to his report, their stifled cries and desperate reaches for land appeared to be nothing but treacherous waves splashing on the rocky shores. Shortly after relaying the story to a stranger in a pub, the traveler lost his mind in mourning for his lost friends. Images of the creatures are disputed among eyewitnesses and ancient documents uncovered throughout the land. The fire-based creatures are rumored to travel in swarms and to be very small, flighted, and warm to the touch — a key factor in their ability to lure victims toward the water at night when temperatures plummet below freezing. Some say their wings do not buzz, but hum – softly, and lyrically like a mother’s lullaby and often to a tune that is familiar or even meaningful to the victim. Once at the water’s edge, the victim instinctively looks into the water, expecting to see their own reflection, but actually visualizing the object of their deepest desire. The water-based creature is even more mysterious since nobody has ever actually seen it. Drawings on scrolls and the walls of ancient mountainous cave settlements suggest that it is a long, eel-like creature with an enormous gaping mouth lined with long, grotesque, needle-like teeth. Because sorrow is never seen, but felt, the monster lacks eyes and instead has seventeen humanoid “arms” projecting from its face and neck, used for grabbing its victims in the water and shoving their weeping souls into its mouth. Legend has it that when victims seem immune to the charms of the firefly-like creatures, the water monster will wave its “arms” above the water to create the illusion that someone is drowning in an attempt to appeal to the heroic side of passersby. Legend also says that the fangs of this creature, when removed from the skull, collapse into ash that burns the skin of someone that has been dishonest, deceitful, or treacherous. Oftentimes, parents of the human race would use this story and wave skinny sticks or animal bones at their children to scare them into telling them the truth when they’ve gotten into mischief. [[Category:Creatures]] 48a88ede635c1c8c23e378454fd88b7f30264298 0 52 90 2014-03-16T17:55:51Z Schaef 3364594 Created page with "To the northeastern coast of The Sunset Lands, in the once fertile [[Kastan’ose]] Valley, lie the foothills of the Mithualan Mountains. This area, known now as the limping g..." wikitext text/x-wiki To the northeastern coast of The Sunset Lands, in the once fertile [[Kastan’ose]] Valley, lie the foothills of the Mithualan Mountains. This area, known now as the limping grounds of the endangered Djunna civilization, was once home to vast numbers of Shna’mina, which roughly translates to “flat-headed dog.” Based on fossil evidence in conjunction with ancient scrolls and myth, the shna’mina were not anything like dogs, but more like large rodents. Short and stocky in nature with shaggy fur and short, fist-like tails, males grew to no more than 3 feet tall at the shoulder while the larger females reached as tall as 4.5′ at the shoulder. Males and females alike sported hard internal skeletons made of unique calcium and carbon structures found only in this phylum of terrestrial herbivorous rodents. Shna’mina were talented digging creatures and often built elaborate, albeit shallow, tunnel-like sleeping chambers which they only used after dusk. Based on evidence from fossilized dental records and bone composition, it’s evident that the shna’mina diet consisted of everything from roots to young tree bark. Shna’mina were also blessed with a six-chambered stomach which allowed them to break down even the toughest tree bark in the valley while digesting nearly 90% of the nutritional value therein. Because of the highly efficient nature of their gut, shna’mina meat was extremely nourishing and highly coveted for its sweet and nutty flavor. On a good day, it could sell for five times the price of other meats. The milk and ground bones of the beast were also the main ingredients in many major remedies for the Djunna people and were considered the reasons for the Djunna people’s impressive longevity and low infant mortality rate. Shna’mina fur was also held in high regard not because of its warmth, but because of its elasticity and ability to retain heat. Oftentimes, a skilled Djunna contractor could insulate the roof of an entire home out of the hide of a single adult shna’mina female. Ranging in color from snowy white to slate grey with silver or roan dappling on their stifles and hocks, shna’mina shed their fur coats each spring and grew back completely different patterns the following winter. For this reason, shepherds identified the hierarchy of herd members through eye color. Seven females and seven males – the alphas – would always have white eyes. Second tier members – or betas – would have grey. Lower tier members, often burdened with dangerous tasks such as luring predators away from exposed young – mature with black eyes. Through this, members of the herd would be assigned rank at maturity and had no hope of moving up during their lifetime except temporarily through fatherhood. Herd behavior of the shna’mina was considered so complex that the occupation of shna’minehu, or “shepherd” was held in extremely high cultural esteem by the Djunna people. Seen as the best and brightest of the village, shna’minehu were often sought out for advice or guidance by all members of Djunna society since it was believed that those who understood the shna’mina could surely understand the complexities of other parts of life. Shna’mina herd mentality, though only recorded by word of mouth from shepherd to shepherd, was believed to have worked in a hierarchical system which often changed daily in order to confuse predators. Though the herd operated with an alpha female and alpha male, it is believed that seven females rotated leadership as shna’menila (“herd mother”) while the alpha males (shna’medjazu, “herd fathers”) remained constant for as months at a time. There are no records of special roles held by the shna’medjazu, but it is clear that the shna’menila were the true herd leaders. When not leading the herd, the remaining six shna’mina alpha females entered a heat cycle in which they would secrete oils from specialized glandular tissue on their neck, knees, and flanks. This oil, meant to alert the males of her availability, also served as a defensive mechanism. Through some unknown process, the oil attracted a specific male – alpha or other – from the herd to approach her for breeding while warning other males to stay away. Able to will her oil to be poisonous or nourishing, any rejected male would be seriously burned by her oils should they attempt to approach her against her will. If they continue to attempt mating in this way, shna’minehu reported males being castrated by the oils and therefore demoted to the lowest rank in the herd. The correct male, however, absorbed the oil and was rewarded with a 95% fertility success rate upon mating as well as essential biological changes to his body in preparation for the birth of the young. The oils were also known to seriously injure or even kill predators who attacked females during their fertility cycle. Often times, shna’minehu would find the shriveled remains of etholeri, or “sky lions” who failed to kill the alpha female in charge of the herd. If the alpha female in charge was ever killed while on duty, herd dynamics immediately collapsed and members laid down and offered themselves to the predator willingly. Pregnant shna’mina alpha females enjoyed a relatively short gestation period of 47 days. Shna’mina young – born live and called “hui” (pl. huya) – resembled round, flat-headed otters. Huya were considered sexually mature at the age of 4 moons when their eyes permanently changed into the color of their hierarchical status. The young were nursed and raised by the shna’mina sire. During those 4 moons of the hui’s adolescence, the father’s eyes turned white and he was temporarily treated as an alpha male regardless of previous herd status. Traditionally, the shna’minehu would bring sweet fruit to sires seven times during the rearing of their hui as a gesture of congratulations and good faith to the new member of the herd. The female had virtually no involvement in the upbringing of the hui. 2c5bc6840345c74332c19462a8764798b4851e62 92 90 2014-03-16T17:58:57Z Schaef 3364594 wikitext text/x-wiki To the northeastern coast of The Sunset Lands, in the once fertile [[Kastan’ose]] Valley, lie the foothills of the Mithualan Mountains. This area, known now as the limping grounds of the endangered Djunna civilization, was once home to vast numbers of Shna’mina, which roughly translates to “flat-headed dog.” Based on fossil evidence in conjunction with ancient scrolls and myth, the shna’mina were not anything like dogs, but more like large rodents. Short and stocky in nature with shaggy fur and short, fist-like tails, males grew to no more than 3 feet tall at the shoulder while the larger females reached as tall as 4.5′ at the shoulder. Males and females alike sported hard internal skeletons made of unique calcium and carbon structures found only in this phylum of terrestrial herbivorous rodents. Shna’mina were talented digging creatures and often built elaborate, albeit shallow, tunnel-like sleeping chambers which they only used after dusk. Based on evidence from fossilized dental records and bone composition, it’s evident that the shna’mina diet consisted of everything from roots to young tree bark. Shna’mina were also blessed with a six-chambered stomach which allowed them to break down even the toughest tree bark in the valley while digesting nearly 90% of the nutritional value therein. Because of the highly efficient nature of their gut, shna’mina meat was extremely nourishing and highly coveted for its sweet and nutty flavor. On a good day, it could sell for five times the price of other meats. The milk and ground bones of the beast were also the main ingredients in many major remedies for the Djunna people and were considered the reasons for the Djunna people’s impressive longevity and low infant mortality rate. Shna’mina fur was also held in high regard not because of its warmth, but because of its elasticity and ability to retain heat. Oftentimes, a skilled Djunna contractor could insulate the roof of an entire home out of the hide of a single adult shna’mina female. Ranging in color from snowy white to slate grey with silver or roan dappling on their stifles and hocks, shna’mina shed their fur coats each spring and grew back completely different patterns the following winter. For this reason, shepherds identified the hierarchy of herd members through eye color. Seven females and seven males – the alphas – would always have white eyes. Second tier members – or betas – would have grey. Lower tier members, often burdened with dangerous tasks such as luring predators away from exposed young – mature with black eyes. Through this, members of the herd would be assigned rank at maturity and had no hope of moving up during their lifetime except temporarily through fatherhood. Herd behavior of the shna’mina was considered so complex that the occupation of shna’minehu, or “shepherd” was held in extremely high cultural esteem by the Djunna people. Seen as the best and brightest of the village, shna’minehu were often sought out for advice or guidance by all members of Djunna society since it was believed that those who understood the shna’mina could surely understand the complexities of other parts of life. Shna’mina herd mentality, though only recorded by word of mouth from shepherd to shepherd, was believed to have worked in a hierarchical system which often changed daily in order to confuse predators. Though the herd operated with an alpha female and alpha male, it is believed that seven females rotated leadership as shna’menila (“herd mother”) while the alpha males (shna’medjazu, “herd fathers”) remained constant for as months at a time. There are no records of special roles held by the shna’medjazu, but it is clear that the shna’menila were the true herd leaders. When not leading the herd, the remaining six shna’mina alpha females entered a heat cycle in which they would secrete oils from specialized glandular tissue on their neck, knees, and flanks. This oil, meant to alert the males of her availability, also served as a defensive mechanism. Through some unknown process, the oil attracted a specific male – alpha or other – from the herd to approach her for breeding while warning other males to stay away. Able to will her oil to be poisonous or nourishing, any rejected male would be seriously burned by her oils should they attempt to approach her against her will. If they continue to attempt mating in this way, shna’minehu reported males being castrated by the oils and therefore demoted to the lowest rank in the herd. The correct male, however, absorbed the oil and was rewarded with a 95% fertility success rate upon mating as well as essential biological changes to his body in preparation for the birth of the young. The oils were also known to seriously injure or even kill predators who attacked females during their fertility cycle. Often times, shna’minehu would find the shriveled remains of etholeri, or “sky lions” who failed to kill the alpha female in charge of the herd. If the alpha female in charge was ever killed while on duty, herd dynamics immediately collapsed and members laid down and offered themselves to the predator willingly. Pregnant shna’mina alpha females enjoyed a relatively short gestation period of 47 days. Shna’mina young – born live and called “hui” (pl. huya) – resembled round, flat-headed otters. Huya were considered sexually mature at the age of 4 moons when their eyes permanently changed into the color of their hierarchical status. The young were nursed and raised by the shna’mina sire. During those 4 moons of the hui’s adolescence, the father’s eyes turned white and he was temporarily treated as an alpha male regardless of previous herd status. Traditionally, the shna’minehu would bring sweet fruit to sires seven times during the rearing of their hui as a gesture of congratulations and good faith to the new member of the herd. The female had virtually no involvement in the upbringing of the hui. [[Category:Creatures]] 61c4a23e8da444a566211052d9bb9ad623701fdc 0 33 94 51 2014-03-16T18:01:32Z Schaef 3364594 wikitext text/x-wiki The language of the Elder Folk who inhabited the [[Hidden Lands]] before [[The History]] began.  Their civilization is no more but their ancient language survives as a ritual language in many of the cultures of the Lands Under the Sun. <h2>Alphabet and Pronunciation</h2> Pronunciation is generally the same as in English. IPA values are given below: <table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="83"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Theme I</span></i></td> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="79"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Theme II</span></i></td> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="79"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Theme III</span></i></td> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="79"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Theme IV</span></i></td> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="79"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Universal</span></i></td> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="79"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Vowels</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="44"><b>f</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">f</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>t</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">t</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>s</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">s</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>l</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">l</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>p</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">p</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>a</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">a</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="44"><b>v</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">v</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>d</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">d</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>z</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">z</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>r</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">r</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>b</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">b</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>e</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">e</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="44"><b>th</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">θ</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>n</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">n</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>sh</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">ʃ</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>y</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">j</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>m</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">m</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>i</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">i</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="44"><b>dh</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">ð</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>k</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">k</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>zh</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">ʒ</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>w</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">w</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b> </b></td> <td valign="top" width="40"></td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>o</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">o</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="44"><b>h</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">h x</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>g</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">g</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>dj</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">dʒ</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b> </b></td> <td valign="top" width="40"></td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b> </b></td> <td valign="top" width="40"></td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>u</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">u</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="44"><b> </b></td> <td valign="top" width="40"></td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>ng</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">ŋ</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>ch</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">tʃ</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b> </b></td> <td valign="top" width="40"></td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b> </b></td> <td valign="top" width="40"></td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b> </b></td> <td valign="top" width="40"></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <h2>Thematics</h2> Consonants are organized into four themes (see, Gender, below), a set of universals, and five vowels. <h1>Nouns</h1> <h2>Gender</h2> The Language has four genders based on the four ancient elements: air, earth, fire, and water <h3>Air</h3> The Air, or Ethra Gender is identified by the presence of the thematic consonants of the First Theme (f,v,th,dh,h).  It is used for abstract nouns and gasses. <blockquote><b>ethra</b><i>  air</i> <b>efath</b><i> truth</i></blockquote> <h3>Earth</h3> The Earth, or Kadam Gender is identified by the presence of the thematic consonants of the Second Theme (t, d, n, k, g, ng). It is used for ordinary neuter inanimate nouns. <blockquote><b>kadam</b><i>  earth</i> <b>geto</b><i> thing</i></blockquote> <h3>Fire</h3> The Fire, or Zazh Gender is identified by the presence of the thematic consonants of the Third Theme (s, z, sh, zh, dj, ch).  It is used for masculine animates and for forms of energy. <blockquote><b>zazh  </b><i>fire</i> <b>djasu</b><i>  man/male</i></blockquote> <h3>Water</h3> The Water or Alir Gender is identified by the presence of the thematic consonants of the Fourth Theme (l, r, y, w).  It is used for animate feminine nouns and liquids. <blockquote><b>alir</b><i> water</i> <b>lara</b><i>  woman</i></blockquote> <h2>Subjective Form (Absolute)</h2> The subjective form, also known as the absolute, is the basic, lexical form of the noun.  There are no, standard patterns for nouns in any particular gender other than the thematic consonants used in them.  The Language generally resists consonant clusters, but they are found.  All the forms given in the section on gender, above, are in the Subjective Form. The subjective form is used for the subject of a sentence or for the predicate nominative. <h3>The plural</h3> The plural is formed by adding <b>(h)u </b>to the end of a word.  If the word ends in a consonant, the <b>h </b>does not appear.  Even when appearing between two vowels, it is not often pronounced, and often is manifested as a slight pause or lift between vowels. <a title="" href="#_ftn1">[1]</a> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239">Singular</td> <td valign="top" width="239">Plural</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>efath</b><i>  truth</i></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>efathu</b><i> truths</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>djasu</b><i> man/male</i></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>djasuhu</b><i>  men/males</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>lara</b> <i>woman/female</i></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>larahu</b><i>  women/females</i></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <h2></h2> <h2>Objective Form</h2> The objective form is used for the direct object of the main verb.  It is formed by prefixing <b>a-</b> to the noun, whether singular or plural: <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Subjective</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Objective</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>efath, efathu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>a-efath, a-efathu</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>geto, getohu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>a-geto, a-getohu</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>djasu, djasuhu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>a-djasu, a-djasuhu</b></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <h2>Bound Form</h2> The bound form is for any noun used with a preposition.  It is formed by suffixing <b>-a</b> to the noun.  In the plural, <i>the suffix follows the plural ending</i>: <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Subjective</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Bound</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>efath, efathu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>efath-a, efathu-a</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>geto</b></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>geto-a, getohu-a</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>djasu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>djasu-a, djasuhu-a</b></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <h2></h2> <h2>Adjectives</h2> As with all words in the Language, adjectives are formed from the noun.  Strictly speaking, there are no pure adjectives in the Language, and all adjectival constructions are in fact noun phrases. To form an adjectival phrase, two nouns are connected by the particle <b>va</b> (based on <b>ava</b> <i>being</i>).  If one wanted to say “a blue house” one would take the word <b>ganad </b><i>house</i> and the word <b>ethia</b><i> blue</i> and connect them with the adjectival particle <b>va</b>.  The definite article is placed after the modified noun: <blockquote><b>ganad va-ethia</b> <i>blue house </i> (lit. ‘house being blue-one’)</blockquote> If the noun in question is definite, the definite article is placed after the entire adjectival phrase: <blockquote><b>ganad-va-ethia ka  </b><i>The blue house</i></blockquote> Note that the definite article agrees with the modified noun (here <b>ka </b>agrees with <b>ganad</b>, both earth gender not <b>ethia</b>, air gender). <h2>Personal Pronouns</h2> Personal pronouns cover three persons and two numbers.  In the first person, there are three numbers, a plural exclusive (“we, but not you”) and a plural inclusive (“we, including you”).  In the first and second person, all pronouns are of common/indeterminate gender.  In the third person, there is a pronoun for each gender.  Where those being described are of more than one gender, the earth gender plural is used. <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="160"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="160"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="160"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="160">I</td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>me  </b><i>I</i></td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>meha</b><i>  we </i>(excl)<a title="" href="#_ftn2">[2] </a><b>mehu</b><i>  we</i> (inc)</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="160">II</td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>pe</b><i>  you</i></td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>pehu</b><i>  you </i>(pl.)</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="160">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>the</b><i>  it</i></td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>thehu</b><i>  they</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="160">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>ke  </b><i>it</i></td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>kehu  </b><i>they</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="160">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>ze  </b><i>he/it</i></td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>zehu</b><i> they</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="160">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>le</b><i>  she/it</i></td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>lehu</b><i>  they</i></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <h2>Demonstrative Pronouns/Adjectives</h2> Demonstrative pronouns and the Definite Article are based on the personal pronouns (which may in fact be a form of a demonstrative).  The Definite Article and the Demonstratives are as follows. <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="96"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Def. Art. (the)</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">That</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Those</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">This</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">These</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>tha</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>tho</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>thohu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>thi</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>thihu</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>ka</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>ko</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>kohu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>ki</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>kihu</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>za</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>zo</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>zohu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>zi</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>zihu</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>la</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>lo</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>lohu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>li</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>lihu</b></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> The definite article and the other demonstratives, like all adjectives, follow the noun they modify and take the same case modifiers as their nouns. <blockquote><b>efath tha</b><i>  the truth</i> <b>kadam ka</b><i> the earth</i> <b>djasu zo</b><i> that man</i> <b>larahu lihu</b><i> these women</i> <b>i-larahu-a lihu-a</b><i>  with these women</i><i> </i></blockquote> <h2>Relative Pronouns</h2> <h1>Verbs</h1> The foundation of the Language is the noun.  All verbs, therefore, are derived from the base noun form.  In each tense, personal endings are added based on the personal pronouns. Because of the specificity of the personal endings, an explicit subject need not always be used.  If the noun stem ends in a vowel, the <b>e</b> is elided. <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="95"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="171"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="95"><b>-em</b><i></i></td> <td valign="top" width="171"><b>-emu</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="95"><b>-ep</b><i></i></td> <td valign="top" width="171"><b>-epu</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="95"><b>-eth</b><i></i></td> <td valign="top" width="171"><b>-ethu</b><i></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="95"><b>-ek</b><i></i></td> <td valign="top" width="171"><b>-eku</b><i></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="95"><b>-ez</b><i></i></td> <td valign="top" width="171"><b>-ezu</b><i></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="95"><b>-el</b><i></i></td> <td valign="top" width="171"><b>-elu</b><i></i></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <h2>Infinitive</h2> The infinitive is formed by adding <b>b’</b> to the unaugmented verbal noun stem. <b>dhifa</b><i>  thought     </i><i></i><b>b’dhifa</b><i>  to think</i> <i> </i> <h2>Present Tenses</h2> <h3>Simple Present</h3> The simple present tense is formed by adding the prefix <b>ba-</b> to the base noun stem and adding the personal endings.  The simple present is translated by the English simple present. <b>b’zazh</b>  <i>to set on fire</i> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="158"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-zazhem</b><i>  I set on fire</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-zazhemu</b><i>  we set on fire</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-zazhep</b><i>  you set on fire</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-zazhepu</b><i>  you set on fire </i>(pl.)</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-zazheth</b><i>  it sets on fire</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-zazhethu</b><i>  they set on fire</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-zazhek</b><i>  it sets on fire</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-zazheku</b><i>  they set on fire</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-zazhez</b><i>  he/it sets on fire</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-zazhezu</b><i>  they set on fire</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-zazhel</b><i>  she/it sets on fire</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-zazhelu</b><i>  they set on fire</i></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <b>b’dhifa</b><i>  to think</i> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="158"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-dhifam</b><i>  I think</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-dhifamu</b><i>  we think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-dhifap</b><i>  you think</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-dhifapu</b><i>  you think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-dhifath</b><i>  it thinks</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-dhifathu</b><i>  they think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-dhifak</b><i>  it thinks</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-dhifaku</b><i>  they think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-dhifaz</b><i>  he/it thinks</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-dhifazu</b><i>  they think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-dhifal</b><i>  she/it thinks</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-dhifalu</b><i>  they think</i></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <h3>Present Continuous</h3> The present continuous tense is formed by adding the prefix <b>aba-</b> to the base noun stem and adding the personal endings.  The present continuous is translated by the English present continuous. <b>b’dhifa</b><i>  to think</i> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="158"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>aba-dhifam</b><i>  I am thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>aba-dhifamu</b><i>  we are thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>aba-dhifap</b><i>  you are thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>aba-dhifapu</b><i>  you are thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>aba-dhifath</b><i>  it is thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>aba-dhifathu</b><i>  they are thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>aba-dhifak</b><i>  it is thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>aba-dhifaku</b><i>  they are thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>aba-dhifaz</b><i>  he/it is thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>aba-dhifazu</b><i>  they are thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>aba-dhifal</b><i>  she/it is thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>aba-dhifalu</b><i>  they are thinking</i></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <h2>Future Tenses</h2> <h3>Simple Future</h3> The simple future tense is formed by adding the prefix <b>be-</b> to the base noun stem and adding the personal endings.  The simple future is translated by the English simple future. <b>b’dhifa</b><i>  to think</i> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="158"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>be-dhifam</b><i>  I will think</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>be-dhifamu</b><i>  we will think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>be-dhifap</b><i>  you will think</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>be-dhifapu</b><i>  you will think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>be-dhifath</b><i>  it will think</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>be-dhifathu</b><i>  they will think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>be-dhifak</b><i>  it will think</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>be-dhifaku</b><i>  they will think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>be-dhifaz</b><i>  he/it will think</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>be-dhifazu</b><i>  they will think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>be-dhifal</b><i>  she/it will think</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>be-dhifalu</b><i>  they will think</i></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <h3>Future Continuous</h3> The future continuous tense is formed by adding the prefix <b>ebe-</b> to the base noun stem and adding the personal endings.  The future continuous is translated by the English future continuous. <b>b’dhifa</b><i>  to think</i> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="158"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ebe-dhifam</b><i>  I will be thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ebe-dhifamu</b><i>  we will be thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ebe-dhifap</b><i>  you will be thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ebe-dhifapu</b><i>  you will be thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ebe-dhifath</b><i>  it will be thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ebe-dhifathu</b><i>  they will be thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ebe-dhifak</b><i>  it will be thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ebe-dhifaku</b><i>  they will be thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ebe-dhifaz</b><i>  he/it will be thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ebe-dhifazu</b><i>  they will be thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ebe-dhifal</b><i>  she/it will be thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ebe-dhifalu</b><i>  they will be thinking</i></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <h2>Past Tenses</h2> <h3>Simple Past</h3> The simple past tense is formed by adding the prefix <b>bo-</b> to the base noun stem and adding the personal endings.  The simple past is translated by the English simple past. <b>b’dhifa</b><i>  to think</i> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="158"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bo-dhifam</b><i>  I thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bo-dhifamu</b><i>  we thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bo-dhifap</b><i>  you thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bo-dhifapu</b><i>  you thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bo-dhifath</b><i>  it thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bo-dhifathu</b><i>  they thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bo-dhifak</b><i>  it thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bo-dhifaku</b><i>  they thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bo-dhifaz</b><i>  he/it thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bo-dhifazu</b><i>  they thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bo-dhifal</b><i>  she/it thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bo-dhifalu</b><i>  they thought</i></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <h3>Past Continuous</h3> The past continuous tense is formed by adding the prefix <b>obo-</b> to the base noun stem and adding the personal endings.  The past continuous is translated by the English past continuous. <b>b’dhifa</b><i>  to think</i> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="158"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>obo-dhifam</b><i>  I was thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>obo-dhifamu</b><i>  we were thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>obo-dhifap</b><i>  you were thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>obo-dhifapu</b><i>  you were thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>obo-dhifath</b><i>  it was thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>obo-dhifathu</b><i>  they were thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>obo-dhifak</b><i>  it was thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>obo-dhifaku</b><i>  they were thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>obo-dhifaz</b><i>  he/it was thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>obo-dhifazu</b><i>  they were thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>obo-dhifal</b><i>  she/it was thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>obo-dhifalu</b><i>  they were thinking</i></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <h3>Past Perfect</h3> The future continuous tense is formed by adding the prefix <b>ebe-</b> to the base noun stem and adding the personal endings.  The future continuous is translated by the English future continuous. <b>b’dhifa</b><i>  to think</i> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="158"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bobo-dhifam</b><i>  I have thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bobo-dhifamu</b><i>  we have thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bobo-dhifap</b><i>  you have thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bobo-dhifapu</b><i>  you have thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bobo-dhifath</b><i>  it has thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bobo-dhifathu</b><i>  they have thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bobo-dhifak</b><i>  it has thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bobo-dhifaku</b><i>  they have thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bobo-dhifaz</b><i>  he/it has thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bobo-dhifazu</b><i>  they have thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bobo-dhifal</b><i>  she/it has thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bobo-dhifalu</b><i>  they have thought</i></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <h3>The verb b’ava ‘to be’</h3> The verb <b>b’ava</b> is completely regular based on the noun stem <b>ava</b><i>  being.</i> ba-avam, ba-avap, ba-avath, ba-avak, ba-avaz, ba-aval, ba-avamu, ba-avapu, ba-avathu, ba-avaku, ba-avazu, ba-avalu <b> </b> <h3>Verbal Short Forms</h3> In conversation and in poetry, the personal endings can be dropped where the subject is explicit. <blockquote><b>Djasu za ba-thavaz a-efath a-tha</b> <b>Djasu za ba-thava’ a-efath a-tha</b> The man speaks the truth</blockquote> <h1>Participles</h1> There are two kinds of participle, continuous (trad. “present”) and complete (trad. “past”).  They are formed similar to verbs in that they are based on a prefix affixed to the noun stem. <h2>Continuous Participles</h2> The continuous participle is formed by adding the <h2>Complete Participles</h2> <h1>Non-indicative Moods</h1> <h2>Subjunctive</h2> <h2>Imperative</h2> <h1>Prepositions</h1> <h2>Spatial</h2> <table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="160">Locational</td> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="160">Directional To</td> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="160">Directional From</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>ur</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>at</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>ul</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>to</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>um</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>from</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>er</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>in</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>el</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>into</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>em</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>out of</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>or</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>on</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>ol</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>onto</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>om</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>off of</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>ir</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>by/alongside</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>il</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>to alongside</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>im</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>from alongside</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>nur</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>under/beneath</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>nul</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>to under</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>num</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>from under</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>mer</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>between</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>mel</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>to inbetween</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>mem</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>from between</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>ar</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>agains</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>al</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>(to) against</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>am</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>from against</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>war</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>behind</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>wal</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>to behind</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>wam</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>from behind</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>lar</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>before/in front</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>lal</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>to the front</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>lam</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>from before</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>merer</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>throughout</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>merel</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>through</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>merem</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>from among</i></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <h2>Temporal</h2> <table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="82"><b>o</b></td> <td valign="top" width="104"><i>by (instrument)</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="82"><b>i</b></td> <td valign="top" width="104"><i>with (accompaniment)</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="82"><b>la</b></td> <td valign="top" width="104"><i>before</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="82"><b>wa</b></td> <td valign="top" width="104"><i>after</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="82"><b>merel</b></td> <td valign="top" width="104"><i>through(out)</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="82"><b>he</b></td> <td valign="top" width="104"><i>of</i></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <h1>Vocabulary</h1> <table width="496" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120">Entry</td> <td valign="top" width="61">Gender</td> <td valign="top" width="120">Meaning</td> <td valign="top" width="195">Notes</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>kadam</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>earth</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>kadmawe(hu)</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>person (people)</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b>-awe</b>, suff. = “-ite”, “-ling”, “of”</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>geto</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>thing</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>tung</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>way, path</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>alir</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">w</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>water</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>ethra</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>air</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>efath</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>truth</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>thava</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>word</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b>b’thava </b>= “to speak”</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>zazh</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">f</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>fire</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>djasu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">f</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>male/man</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>noten</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>day</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>dhifa</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>dang</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>work</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>dum</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>place</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>kedoten</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>year</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>hav</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>number</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>avath</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>name</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>genot</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>home</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>kid</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>line</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>hadh</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>sound</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>ganad</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>house</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>akkadam</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>world</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>dhifa-gnad</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>school</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195">lit, ‘though-house’</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>eth</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>sky</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>ethila</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>blue</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195">lit. ‘sky-color’</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>dhufah</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>storm</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>kogod</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>business, dealings</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>tega</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>run, course</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b>b’tega</b> = “to run”</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>kodang</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>making, creation</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b>b’kodang</b> = “to make”</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>shadja</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">f</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>sun</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>thuva</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>language</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>dju</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">f</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>son</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>lir</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">w</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>daughter</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>azh</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">f</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>father</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>illa</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">w</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>mother</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>kag</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>stone</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>wal</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">l</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>blood</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <div> <hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" /> <a title="" href="#_ftnref1">[1]</a> This leads many to think that the base form is in fact <b>u</b> with an intervocalic <b>h</b> inserted between two vowels, as opposed to <b>*hu</b> with a dropped <b>h</b> before a consonant.  Were the base form *hu we would expect to see some aspiration in the preceding consonant: <b>genot - *genothu</b><i> home, homes</i>.  Instead, we see <b>genot/genotu</b>. <a title="" href="#_ftnref2">[2]</a> Some believe that <b>meha</b> may be a vestige of an earlier dual form “we two”. [[Category:Languages]] 2b07fac6052964d5f5ac468e01476e81658a5b4c 95 94 2014-03-16T18:05:56Z Schaef 3364594 wikitext text/x-wiki The language of the Elder Folk who inhabited the [[Hidden Lands]] before [[The History]] began.  Their civilization is no more but their ancient language survives as a ritual language in many of the cultures of the Lands Under the Sun. <h2>Alphabet and Pronunciation</h2> Pronunciation is generally the same as in English. IPA values are given below: <table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="83"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Theme I</span></i></td> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="79"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Theme II</span></i></td> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="79"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Theme III</span></i></td> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="79"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Theme IV</span></i></td> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="79"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Universal</span></i></td> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="79"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Vowels</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="44"><b>f</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">f</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>t</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">t</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>s</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">s</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>l</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">l</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>p</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">p</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>a</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">a</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="44"><b>v</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">v</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>d</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">d</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>z</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">z</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>r</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">r</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>b</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">b</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>e</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">e</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="44"><b>th</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">θ</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>n</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">n</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>sh</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">ʃ</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>y</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">j</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>m</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">m</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>i</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">i</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="44"><b>dh</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">ð</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>k</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">k</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>zh</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">ʒ</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>w</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">w</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b> </b></td> <td valign="top" width="40"></td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>o</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">o</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="44"><b>h</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">h x</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>g</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">g</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>dj</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">dʒ</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b> </b></td> <td valign="top" width="40"></td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b> </b></td> <td valign="top" width="40"></td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>u</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">u</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="44"><b> </b></td> <td valign="top" width="40"></td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>ng</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">ŋ</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>ch</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">tʃ</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b> </b></td> <td valign="top" width="40"></td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b> </b></td> <td valign="top" width="40"></td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b> </b></td> <td valign="top" width="40"></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <h2>Thematics</h2> Consonants are organized into four themes (see, Gender, below), a set of universals, and five vowels. <h1>Nouns</h1> <h2>Gender</h2> The Language has four genders based on the four ancient elements: air, earth, fire, and water <h3>Air</h3> The Air, or Ethra Gender is identified by the presence of the thematic consonants of the First Theme (f,v,th,dh,h).  It is used for abstract nouns and gasses. <blockquote><b>ethra</b><i>  air</i> <b>efath</b><i> truth</i></blockquote> <h3>Earth</h3> The Earth, or Kadam Gender is identified by the presence of the thematic consonants of the Second Theme (t, d, n, k, g, ng). It is used for ordinary neuter inanimate nouns. <blockquote><b>kadam</b><i>  earth</i> <b>geto</b><i> thing</i></blockquote> <h3>Fire</h3> The Fire, or Zazh Gender is identified by the presence of the thematic consonants of the Third Theme (s, z, sh, zh, dj, ch).  It is used for masculine animates and for forms of energy. <blockquote><b>zazh  </b><i>fire</i> <b>djasu</b><i>  man/male</i></blockquote> <h3>Water</h3> The Water or Alir Gender is identified by the presence of the thematic consonants of the Fourth Theme (l, r, y, w).  It is used for animate feminine nouns and liquids. <blockquote><b>alir</b><i> water</i> <b>lara</b><i>  woman</i></blockquote> <h2>Subjective Form (Absolute)</h2> The subjective form, also known as the absolute, is the basic, lexical form of the noun.  There are no, standard patterns for nouns in any particular gender other than the thematic consonants used in them.  The Language generally resists consonant clusters, but they are found.  All the forms given in the section on gender, above, are in the Subjective Form. The subjective form is used for the subject of a sentence or for the predicate nominative. <h3>The plural</h3> The plural is formed by adding <b>(h)u </b>to the end of a word.  If the word ends in a consonant, the <b>h </b>does not appear.  Even when appearing between two vowels, it is not often pronounced, and often is manifested as a slight pause or lift between vowels. <a href="#_ftn1">[1]</a> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239">Singular</td> <td valign="top" width="239">Plural</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>efath</b><i>  truth</i></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>efathu</b><i> truths</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>djasu</b><i> man/male</i></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>djasuhu</b><i>  men/males</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>lara</b> <i>woman/female</i></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>larahu</b><i>  women/females</i></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <h2></h2> <h2>Objective Form</h2> The objective form is used for the direct object of the main verb.  It is formed by prefixing <b>a-</b> to the noun, whether singular or plural: <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Subjective</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Objective</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>efath, efathu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>a-efath, a-efathu</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>geto, getohu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>a-geto, a-getohu</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>djasu, djasuhu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>a-djasu, a-djasuhu</b></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <h2>Bound Form</h2> The bound form is for any noun used with a preposition.  It is formed by suffixing <b>-a</b> to the noun.  In the plural, <i>the suffix follows the plural ending</i>: <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Subjective</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Bound</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>efath, efathu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>efath-a, efathu-a</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>geto</b></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>geto-a, getohu-a</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>djasu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>djasu-a, djasuhu-a</b></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <h2>Adjectives</h2> As with all words in the Language, adjectives are formed from the noun.  Strictly speaking, there are no pure adjectives in the Language, and all adjectival constructions are in fact noun phrases. To form an adjectival phrase, two nouns are connected by the particle <b>va</b> (based on <b>ava</b> <i>being</i>).  If one wanted to say “a blue house” one would take the word <b>ganad </b><i>house</i> and the word <b>ethia</b><i> blue</i> and connect them with the adjectival particle <b>va</b>.  The definite article is placed after the modified noun: <blockquote><b>ganad va-ethia</b> <i>blue house </i> (lit. ‘house being blue-one’)</blockquote> If the noun in question is definite, the definite article is placed after the entire adjectival phrase: <blockquote><b>ganad-va-ethia ka  </b><i>The blue house</i></blockquote> Note that the definite article agrees with the modified noun (here <b>ka </b>agrees with <b>ganad</b>, both earth gender not <b>ethia</b>, air gender). <h2>Personal Pronouns</h2> Personal pronouns cover three persons and two numbers.  In the first person, there are three numbers, a plural exclusive (“we, but not you”) and a plural inclusive (“we, including you”).  In the first and second person, all pronouns are of common/indeterminate gender.  In the third person, there is a pronoun for each gender.  Where those being described are of more than one gender, the earth gender plural is used. <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="160"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="160"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="160"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="160">I</td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>me  </b><i>I</i></td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>meha</b><i>  we </i>(excl)<a title="" href="#_ftn2">[2] </a><b>mehu</b><i>  we</i> (inc)</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="160">II</td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>pe</b><i>  you</i></td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>pehu</b><i>  you </i>(pl.)</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="160">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>the</b><i>  it</i></td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>thehu</b><i>  they</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="160">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>ke  </b><i>it</i></td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>kehu  </b><i>they</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="160">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>ze  </b><i>he/it</i></td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>zehu</b><i> they</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="160">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>le</b><i>  she/it</i></td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>lehu</b><i>  they</i></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <h2>Demonstrative Pronouns/Adjectives</h2> Demonstrative pronouns and the Definite Article are based on the personal pronouns (which may in fact be a form of a demonstrative).  The Definite Article and the Demonstratives are as follows. <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="96"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Def. Art. (the)</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">That</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Those</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">This</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">These</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>tha</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>tho</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>thohu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>thi</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>thihu</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>ka</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>ko</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>kohu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>ki</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>kihu</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>za</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>zo</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>zohu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>zi</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>zihu</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>la</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>lo</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>lohu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>li</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>lihu</b></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> The definite article and the other demonstratives, like all adjectives, follow the noun they modify and take the same case modifiers as their nouns. <blockquote><b>efath tha</b><i>  the truth</i> <b>kadam ka</b><i> the earth</i> <b>djasu zo</b><i> that man</i> <b>larahu lihu</b><i> these women</i> <b>i-larahu-a lihu-a</b><i>  with these women</i><i> </i></blockquote> <h2>Relative Pronouns</h2> <h1>Verbs</h1> The foundation of the Language is the noun.  All verbs, therefore, are derived from the base noun form.  In each tense, personal endings are added based on the personal pronouns. Because of the specificity of the personal endings, an explicit subject need not always be used.  If the noun stem ends in a vowel, the <b>e</b> is elided. <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="95"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="171"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="95"><b>-em</b><i></i></td> <td valign="top" width="171"><b>-emu</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="95"><b>-ep</b><i></i></td> <td valign="top" width="171"><b>-epu</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="95"><b>-eth</b><i></i></td> <td valign="top" width="171"><b>-ethu</b><i></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="95"><b>-ek</b><i></i></td> <td valign="top" width="171"><b>-eku</b><i></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="95"><b>-ez</b><i></i></td> <td valign="top" width="171"><b>-ezu</b><i></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="95"><b>-el</b><i></i></td> <td valign="top" width="171"><b>-elu</b><i></i></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <h2>Infinitive</h2> The infinitive is formed by adding <b>b’</b> to the unaugmented verbal noun stem. <b>dhifa</b><i>  thought     </i><i></i><b>b’dhifa</b><i>  to think</i> <i> </i> <h2>Present Tenses</h2> <h3>Simple Present</h3> The simple present tense is formed by adding the prefix <b>ba-</b> to the base noun stem and adding the personal endings.  The simple present is translated by the English simple present. <b>b’zazh</b>  <i>to set on fire</i> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="158"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-zazhem</b><i>  I set on fire</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-zazhemu</b><i>  we set on fire</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-zazhep</b><i>  you set on fire</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-zazhepu</b><i>  you set on fire </i>(pl.)</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-zazheth</b><i>  it sets on fire</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-zazhethu</b><i>  they set on fire</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-zazhek</b><i>  it sets on fire</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-zazheku</b><i>  they set on fire</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-zazhez</b><i>  he/it sets on fire</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-zazhezu</b><i>  they set on fire</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-zazhel</b><i>  she/it sets on fire</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-zazhelu</b><i>  they set on fire</i></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <b>b’dhifa</b><i>  to think</i> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="158"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-dhifam</b><i>  I think</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-dhifamu</b><i>  we think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-dhifap</b><i>  you think</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-dhifapu</b><i>  you think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-dhifath</b><i>  it thinks</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-dhifathu</b><i>  they think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-dhifak</b><i>  it thinks</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-dhifaku</b><i>  they think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-dhifaz</b><i>  he/it thinks</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-dhifazu</b><i>  they think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-dhifal</b><i>  she/it thinks</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-dhifalu</b><i>  they think</i></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <h3>Present Continuous</h3> The present continuous tense is formed by adding the prefix <b>aba-</b> to the base noun stem and adding the personal endings.  The present continuous is translated by the English present continuous. <b>b’dhifa</b><i>  to think</i> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="158"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>aba-dhifam</b><i>  I am thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>aba-dhifamu</b><i>  we are thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>aba-dhifap</b><i>  you are thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>aba-dhifapu</b><i>  you are thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>aba-dhifath</b><i>  it is thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>aba-dhifathu</b><i>  they are thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>aba-dhifak</b><i>  it is thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>aba-dhifaku</b><i>  they are thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>aba-dhifaz</b><i>  he/it is thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>aba-dhifazu</b><i>  they are thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>aba-dhifal</b><i>  she/it is thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>aba-dhifalu</b><i>  they are thinking</i></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <h2>Future Tenses</h2> <h3>Simple Future</h3> The simple future tense is formed by adding the prefix <b>be-</b> to the base noun stem and adding the personal endings.  The simple future is translated by the English simple future. <b>b’dhifa</b><i>  to think</i> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="158"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>be-dhifam</b><i>  I will think</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>be-dhifamu</b><i>  we will think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>be-dhifap</b><i>  you will think</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>be-dhifapu</b><i>  you will think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>be-dhifath</b><i>  it will think</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>be-dhifathu</b><i>  they will think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>be-dhifak</b><i>  it will think</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>be-dhifaku</b><i>  they will think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>be-dhifaz</b><i>  he/it will think</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>be-dhifazu</b><i>  they will think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>be-dhifal</b><i>  she/it will think</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>be-dhifalu</b><i>  they will think</i></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <h3>Future Continuous</h3> The future continuous tense is formed by adding the prefix <b>ebe-</b> to the base noun stem and adding the personal endings.  The future continuous is translated by the English future continuous. <b>b’dhifa</b><i>  to think</i> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="158"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ebe-dhifam</b><i>  I will be thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ebe-dhifamu</b><i>  we will be thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ebe-dhifap</b><i>  you will be thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ebe-dhifapu</b><i>  you will be thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ebe-dhifath</b><i>  it will be thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ebe-dhifathu</b><i>  they will be thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ebe-dhifak</b><i>  it will be thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ebe-dhifaku</b><i>  they will be thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ebe-dhifaz</b><i>  he/it will be thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ebe-dhifazu</b><i>  they will be thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ebe-dhifal</b><i>  she/it will be thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ebe-dhifalu</b><i>  they will be thinking</i></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <h2>Past Tenses</h2> <h3>Simple Past</h3> The simple past tense is formed by adding the prefix <b>bo-</b> to the base noun stem and adding the personal endings.  The simple past is translated by the English simple past. <b>b’dhifa</b><i>  to think</i> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="158"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bo-dhifam</b><i>  I thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bo-dhifamu</b><i>  we thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bo-dhifap</b><i>  you thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bo-dhifapu</b><i>  you thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bo-dhifath</b><i>  it thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bo-dhifathu</b><i>  they thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bo-dhifak</b><i>  it thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bo-dhifaku</b><i>  they thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bo-dhifaz</b><i>  he/it thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bo-dhifazu</b><i>  they thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bo-dhifal</b><i>  she/it thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bo-dhifalu</b><i>  they thought</i></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <h3>Past Continuous</h3> The past continuous tense is formed by adding the prefix <b>obo-</b> to the base noun stem and adding the personal endings.  The past continuous is translated by the English past continuous. <b>b’dhifa</b><i>  to think</i> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="158"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>obo-dhifam</b><i>  I was thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>obo-dhifamu</b><i>  we were thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>obo-dhifap</b><i>  you were thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>obo-dhifapu</b><i>  you were thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>obo-dhifath</b><i>  it was thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>obo-dhifathu</b><i>  they were thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>obo-dhifak</b><i>  it was thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>obo-dhifaku</b><i>  they were thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>obo-dhifaz</b><i>  he/it was thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>obo-dhifazu</b><i>  they were thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>obo-dhifal</b><i>  she/it was thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>obo-dhifalu</b><i>  they were thinking</i></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <h3>Past Perfect</h3> The future continuous tense is formed by adding the prefix <b>ebe-</b> to the base noun stem and adding the personal endings.  The future continuous is translated by the English future continuous. <b>b’dhifa</b><i>  to think</i> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="158"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bobo-dhifam</b><i>  I have thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bobo-dhifamu</b><i>  we have thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bobo-dhifap</b><i>  you have thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bobo-dhifapu</b><i>  you have thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bobo-dhifath</b><i>  it has thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bobo-dhifathu</b><i>  they have thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bobo-dhifak</b><i>  it has thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bobo-dhifaku</b><i>  they have thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bobo-dhifaz</b><i>  he/it has thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bobo-dhifazu</b><i>  they have thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bobo-dhifal</b><i>  she/it has thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bobo-dhifalu</b><i>  they have thought</i></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <h3>The verb b’ava ‘to be’</h3> The verb <b>b’ava</b> is completely regular based on the noun stem <b>ava</b><i>  being.</i> ba-avam, ba-avap, ba-avath, ba-avak, ba-avaz, ba-aval, ba-avamu, ba-avapu, ba-avathu, ba-avaku, ba-avazu, ba-avalu <b> </b> <h3>Verbal Short Forms</h3> In conversation and in poetry, the personal endings can be dropped where the subject is explicit. <blockquote><b>Djasu za ba-thavaz a-efath a-tha</b> <b>Djasu za ba-thava’ a-efath a-tha</b> The man speaks the truth</blockquote> <h1>Participles</h1> There are two kinds of participle, continuous (trad. “present”) and complete (trad. “past”).  They are formed similar to verbs in that they are based on a prefix affixed to the noun stem. <h2>Continuous Participles</h2> The continuous participle is formed by adding the <h2>Complete Participles</h2> <h1>Non-indicative Moods</h1> <h2>Subjunctive</h2> <h2>Imperative</h2> <h1>Prepositions</h1> <h2>Spatial</h2> <table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="160">Locational</td> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="160">Directional To</td> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="160">Directional From</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>ur</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>at</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>ul</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>to</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>um</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>from</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>er</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>in</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>el</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>into</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>em</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>out of</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>or</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>on</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>ol</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>onto</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>om</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>off of</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>ir</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>by/alongside</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>il</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>to alongside</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>im</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>from alongside</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>nur</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>under/beneath</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>nul</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>to under</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>num</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>from under</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>mer</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>between</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>mel</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>to inbetween</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>mem</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>from between</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>ar</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>agains</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>al</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>(to) against</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>am</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>from against</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>war</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>behind</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>wal</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>to behind</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>wam</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>from behind</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>lar</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>before/in front</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>lal</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>to the front</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>lam</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>from before</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>merer</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>throughout</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>merel</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>through</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>merem</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>from among</i></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <h2>Temporal</h2> <table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="82"><b>o</b></td> <td valign="top" width="104"><i>by (instrument)</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="82"><b>i</b></td> <td valign="top" width="104"><i>with (accompaniment)</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="82"><b>la</b></td> <td valign="top" width="104"><i>before</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="82"><b>wa</b></td> <td valign="top" width="104"><i>after</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="82"><b>merel</b></td> <td valign="top" width="104"><i>through(out)</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="82"><b>he</b></td> <td valign="top" width="104"><i>of</i></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <h1>Vocabulary</h1> <table width="496" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120">Entry</td> <td valign="top" width="61">Gender</td> <td valign="top" width="120">Meaning</td> <td valign="top" width="195">Notes</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>kadam</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>earth</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>kadmawe(hu)</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>person (people)</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b>-awe</b>, suff. = “-ite”, “-ling”, “of”</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>geto</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>thing</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>tung</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>way, path</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>alir</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">w</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>water</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>ethra</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>air</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>efath</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>truth</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>thava</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>word</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b>b’thava </b>= “to speak”</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>zazh</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">f</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>fire</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>djasu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">f</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>male/man</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>noten</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>day</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>dhifa</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>dang</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>work</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>dum</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>place</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>kedoten</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>year</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>hav</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>number</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>avath</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>name</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>genot</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>home</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>kid</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>line</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>hadh</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>sound</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>ganad</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>house</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>akkadam</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>world</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>dhifa-gnad</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>school</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195">lit, ‘though-house’</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>eth</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>sky</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>ethila</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>blue</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195">lit. ‘sky-color’</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>dhufah</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>storm</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>kogod</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>business, dealings</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>tega</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>run, course</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b>b’tega</b> = “to run”</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>kodang</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>making, creation</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b>b’kodang</b> = “to make”</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>shadja</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">f</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>sun</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>thuva</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>language</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>dju</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">f</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>son</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>lir</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">w</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>daughter</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>azh</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">f</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>father</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>illa</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">w</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>mother</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>kag</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>stone</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>wal</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">l</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>blood</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <div> <hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" /> <a title="" href="#_ftnref1">[1]</a> This leads many to think that the base form is in fact <b>u</b> with an intervocalic <b>h</b> inserted between two vowels, as opposed to <b>*hu</b> with a dropped <b>h</b> before a consonant.  Were the base form *hu we would expect to see some aspiration in the preceding consonant: <b>genot - *genothu</b><i> home, homes</i>.  Instead, we see <b>genot/genotu</b>. <a title="" href="#_ftnref2">[2]</a> Some believe that <b>meha</b> may be a vestige of an earlier dual form “we two”. [[Category:Languages]] c4cdba7b17f5877082e18f8a5e0f206754934683 96 95 2014-03-16T18:06:29Z Schaef 3364594 wikitext text/x-wiki The language of the Elder Folk who inhabited the [[Hidden Lands]] before [[The History]] began.  Their civilization is no more but their ancient language survives as a ritual language in many of the cultures of the Lands Under the Sun. <h2>Alphabet and Pronunciation</h2> Pronunciation is generally the same as in English. IPA values are given below: <table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="83"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Theme I</span></i></td> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="79"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Theme II</span></i></td> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="79"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Theme III</span></i></td> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="79"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Theme IV</span></i></td> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="79"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Universal</span></i></td> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="79"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Vowels</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="44"><b>f</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">f</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>t</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">t</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>s</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">s</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>l</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">l</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>p</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">p</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>a</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">a</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="44"><b>v</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">v</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>d</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">d</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>z</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">z</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>r</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">r</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>b</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">b</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>e</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">e</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="44"><b>th</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">θ</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>n</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">n</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>sh</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">ʃ</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>y</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">j</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>m</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">m</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>i</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">i</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="44"><b>dh</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">ð</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>k</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">k</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>zh</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">ʒ</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>w</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">w</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b> </b></td> <td valign="top" width="40"></td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>o</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">o</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="44"><b>h</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">h x</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>g</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">g</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>dj</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">dʒ</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b> </b></td> <td valign="top" width="40"></td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b> </b></td> <td valign="top" width="40"></td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>u</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">u</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="44"><b> </b></td> <td valign="top" width="40"></td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>ng</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">ŋ</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>ch</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">tʃ</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b> </b></td> <td valign="top" width="40"></td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b> </b></td> <td valign="top" width="40"></td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b> </b></td> <td valign="top" width="40"></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <h2>Thematics</h2> Consonants are organized into four themes (see, Gender, below), a set of universals, and five vowels. <h1>Nouns</h1> <h2>Gender</h2> The Language has four genders based on the four ancient elements: air, earth, fire, and water <h3>Air</h3> The Air, or Ethra Gender is identified by the presence of the thematic consonants of the First Theme (f,v,th,dh,h).  It is used for abstract nouns and gasses. <blockquote><b>ethra</b><i>  air</i> <b>efath</b><i> truth</i></blockquote> <h3>Earth</h3> The Earth, or Kadam Gender is identified by the presence of the thematic consonants of the Second Theme (t, d, n, k, g, ng). It is used for ordinary neuter inanimate nouns. <blockquote><b>kadam</b><i>  earth</i> <b>geto</b><i> thing</i></blockquote> <h3>Fire</h3> The Fire, or Zazh Gender is identified by the presence of the thematic consonants of the Third Theme (s, z, sh, zh, dj, ch).  It is used for masculine animates and for forms of energy. <blockquote><b>zazh  </b><i>fire</i> <b>djasu</b><i>  man/male</i></blockquote> <h3>Water</h3> The Water or Alir Gender is identified by the presence of the thematic consonants of the Fourth Theme (l, r, y, w).  It is used for animate feminine nouns and liquids. <blockquote><b>alir</b><i> water</i> <b>lara</b><i>  woman</i></blockquote> <h2>Subjective Form (Absolute)</h2> The subjective form, also known as the absolute, is the basic, lexical form of the noun.  There are no, standard patterns for nouns in any particular gender other than the thematic consonants used in them.  The Language generally resists consonant clusters, but they are found.  All the forms given in the section on gender, above, are in the Subjective Form. The subjective form is used for the subject of a sentence or for the predicate nominative. <h3>The plural</h3> The plural is formed by adding <b>(h)u </b>to the end of a word.  If the word ends in a consonant, the <b>h </b>does not appear.  Even when appearing between two vowels, it is not often pronounced, and often is manifested as a slight pause or lift between vowels. <a href="#_ftn1">[1]</a> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239">Singular</td> <td valign="top" width="239">Plural</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>efath</b><i>  truth</i></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>efathu</b><i> truths</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>djasu</b><i> man/male</i></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>djasuhu</b><i>  men/males</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>lara</b> <i>woman/female</i></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>larahu</b><i>  women/females</i></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <h2>Objective Form</h2> The objective form is used for the direct object of the main verb.  It is formed by prefixing <b>a-</b> to the noun, whether singular or plural: <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Subjective</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Objective</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>efath, efathu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>a-efath, a-efathu</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>geto, getohu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>a-geto, a-getohu</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>djasu, djasuhu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>a-djasu, a-djasuhu</b></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <h2>Bound Form</h2> The bound form is for any noun used with a preposition.  It is formed by suffixing <b>-a</b> to the noun.  In the plural, <i>the suffix follows the plural ending</i>: <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Subjective</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Bound</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>efath, efathu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>efath-a, efathu-a</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>geto</b></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>geto-a, getohu-a</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>djasu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>djasu-a, djasuhu-a</b></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <h2>Adjectives</h2> As with all words in the Language, adjectives are formed from the noun.  Strictly speaking, there are no pure adjectives in the Language, and all adjectival constructions are in fact noun phrases. To form an adjectival phrase, two nouns are connected by the particle <b>va</b> (based on <b>ava</b> <i>being</i>).  If one wanted to say “a blue house” one would take the word <b>ganad </b><i>house</i> and the word <b>ethia</b><i> blue</i> and connect them with the adjectival particle <b>va</b>.  The definite article is placed after the modified noun: <blockquote><b>ganad va-ethia</b> <i>blue house </i> (lit. ‘house being blue-one’)</blockquote> If the noun in question is definite, the definite article is placed after the entire adjectival phrase: <blockquote><b>ganad-va-ethia ka  </b><i>The blue house</i></blockquote> Note that the definite article agrees with the modified noun (here <b>ka </b>agrees with <b>ganad</b>, both earth gender not <b>ethia</b>, air gender). <h2>Personal Pronouns</h2> Personal pronouns cover three persons and two numbers.  In the first person, there are three numbers, a plural exclusive (“we, but not you”) and a plural inclusive (“we, including you”).  In the first and second person, all pronouns are of common/indeterminate gender.  In the third person, there is a pronoun for each gender.  Where those being described are of more than one gender, the earth gender plural is used. <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="160"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="160"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="160"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="160">I</td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>me  </b><i>I</i></td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>meha</b><i>  we </i>(excl)<a title="" href="#_ftn2">[2] </a><b>mehu</b><i>  we</i> (inc)</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="160">II</td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>pe</b><i>  you</i></td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>pehu</b><i>  you </i>(pl.)</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="160">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>the</b><i>  it</i></td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>thehu</b><i>  they</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="160">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>ke  </b><i>it</i></td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>kehu  </b><i>they</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="160">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>ze  </b><i>he/it</i></td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>zehu</b><i> they</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="160">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>le</b><i>  she/it</i></td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>lehu</b><i>  they</i></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <h2>Demonstrative Pronouns/Adjectives</h2> Demonstrative pronouns and the Definite Article are based on the personal pronouns (which may in fact be a form of a demonstrative).  The Definite Article and the Demonstratives are as follows. <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="96"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Def. Art. (the)</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">That</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Those</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">This</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">These</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>tha</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>tho</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>thohu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>thi</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>thihu</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>ka</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>ko</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>kohu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>ki</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>kihu</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>za</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>zo</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>zohu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>zi</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>zihu</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>la</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>lo</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>lohu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>li</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>lihu</b></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> The definite article and the other demonstratives, like all adjectives, follow the noun they modify and take the same case modifiers as their nouns. <blockquote><b>efath tha</b><i>  the truth</i> <b>kadam ka</b><i> the earth</i> <b>djasu zo</b><i> that man</i> <b>larahu lihu</b><i> these women</i> <b>i-larahu-a lihu-a</b><i>  with these women</i><i> </i></blockquote> <h2>Relative Pronouns</h2> <h1>Verbs</h1> The foundation of the Language is the noun.  All verbs, therefore, are derived from the base noun form.  In each tense, personal endings are added based on the personal pronouns. Because of the specificity of the personal endings, an explicit subject need not always be used.  If the noun stem ends in a vowel, the <b>e</b> is elided. <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="95"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="171"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="95"><b>-em</b><i></i></td> <td valign="top" width="171"><b>-emu</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="95"><b>-ep</b><i></i></td> <td valign="top" width="171"><b>-epu</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="95"><b>-eth</b><i></i></td> <td valign="top" width="171"><b>-ethu</b><i></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="95"><b>-ek</b><i></i></td> <td valign="top" width="171"><b>-eku</b><i></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="95"><b>-ez</b><i></i></td> <td valign="top" width="171"><b>-ezu</b><i></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="95"><b>-el</b><i></i></td> <td valign="top" width="171"><b>-elu</b><i></i></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <h2>Infinitive</h2> The infinitive is formed by adding <b>b’</b> to the unaugmented verbal noun stem. <b>dhifa</b><i>  thought     </i><i></i><b>b’dhifa</b><i>  to think</i> <i> </i> <h2>Present Tenses</h2> <h3>Simple Present</h3> The simple present tense is formed by adding the prefix <b>ba-</b> to the base noun stem and adding the personal endings.  The simple present is translated by the English simple present. <b>b’zazh</b>  <i>to set on fire</i> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="158"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-zazhem</b><i>  I set on fire</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-zazhemu</b><i>  we set on fire</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-zazhep</b><i>  you set on fire</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-zazhepu</b><i>  you set on fire </i>(pl.)</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-zazheth</b><i>  it sets on fire</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-zazhethu</b><i>  they set on fire</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-zazhek</b><i>  it sets on fire</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-zazheku</b><i>  they set on fire</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-zazhez</b><i>  he/it sets on fire</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-zazhezu</b><i>  they set on fire</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-zazhel</b><i>  she/it sets on fire</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-zazhelu</b><i>  they set on fire</i></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <b>b’dhifa</b><i>  to think</i> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="158"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-dhifam</b><i>  I think</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-dhifamu</b><i>  we think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-dhifap</b><i>  you think</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-dhifapu</b><i>  you think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-dhifath</b><i>  it thinks</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-dhifathu</b><i>  they think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-dhifak</b><i>  it thinks</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-dhifaku</b><i>  they think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-dhifaz</b><i>  he/it thinks</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-dhifazu</b><i>  they think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-dhifal</b><i>  she/it thinks</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-dhifalu</b><i>  they think</i></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <h3>Present Continuous</h3> The present continuous tense is formed by adding the prefix <b>aba-</b> to the base noun stem and adding the personal endings.  The present continuous is translated by the English present continuous. <b>b’dhifa</b><i>  to think</i> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="158"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>aba-dhifam</b><i>  I am thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>aba-dhifamu</b><i>  we are thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>aba-dhifap</b><i>  you are thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>aba-dhifapu</b><i>  you are thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>aba-dhifath</b><i>  it is thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>aba-dhifathu</b><i>  they are thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>aba-dhifak</b><i>  it is thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>aba-dhifaku</b><i>  they are thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>aba-dhifaz</b><i>  he/it is thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>aba-dhifazu</b><i>  they are thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>aba-dhifal</b><i>  she/it is thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>aba-dhifalu</b><i>  they are thinking</i></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <h2>Future Tenses</h2> <h3>Simple Future</h3> The simple future tense is formed by adding the prefix <b>be-</b> to the base noun stem and adding the personal endings.  The simple future is translated by the English simple future. <b>b’dhifa</b><i>  to think</i> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="158"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>be-dhifam</b><i>  I will think</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>be-dhifamu</b><i>  we will think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>be-dhifap</b><i>  you will think</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>be-dhifapu</b><i>  you will think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>be-dhifath</b><i>  it will think</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>be-dhifathu</b><i>  they will think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>be-dhifak</b><i>  it will think</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>be-dhifaku</b><i>  they will think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>be-dhifaz</b><i>  he/it will think</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>be-dhifazu</b><i>  they will think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>be-dhifal</b><i>  she/it will think</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>be-dhifalu</b><i>  they will think</i></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <h3>Future Continuous</h3> The future continuous tense is formed by adding the prefix <b>ebe-</b> to the base noun stem and adding the personal endings.  The future continuous is translated by the English future continuous. <b>b’dhifa</b><i>  to think</i> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="158"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ebe-dhifam</b><i>  I will be thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ebe-dhifamu</b><i>  we will be thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ebe-dhifap</b><i>  you will be thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ebe-dhifapu</b><i>  you will be thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ebe-dhifath</b><i>  it will be thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ebe-dhifathu</b><i>  they will be thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ebe-dhifak</b><i>  it will be thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ebe-dhifaku</b><i>  they will be thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ebe-dhifaz</b><i>  he/it will be thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ebe-dhifazu</b><i>  they will be thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ebe-dhifal</b><i>  she/it will be thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ebe-dhifalu</b><i>  they will be thinking</i></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <h2>Past Tenses</h2> <h3>Simple Past</h3> The simple past tense is formed by adding the prefix <b>bo-</b> to the base noun stem and adding the personal endings.  The simple past is translated by the English simple past. <b>b’dhifa</b><i>  to think</i> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="158"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bo-dhifam</b><i>  I thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bo-dhifamu</b><i>  we thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bo-dhifap</b><i>  you thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bo-dhifapu</b><i>  you thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bo-dhifath</b><i>  it thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bo-dhifathu</b><i>  they thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bo-dhifak</b><i>  it thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bo-dhifaku</b><i>  they thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bo-dhifaz</b><i>  he/it thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bo-dhifazu</b><i>  they thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bo-dhifal</b><i>  she/it thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bo-dhifalu</b><i>  they thought</i></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <h3>Past Continuous</h3> The past continuous tense is formed by adding the prefix <b>obo-</b> to the base noun stem and adding the personal endings.  The past continuous is translated by the English past continuous. <b>b’dhifa</b><i>  to think</i> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="158"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>obo-dhifam</b><i>  I was thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>obo-dhifamu</b><i>  we were thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>obo-dhifap</b><i>  you were thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>obo-dhifapu</b><i>  you were thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>obo-dhifath</b><i>  it was thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>obo-dhifathu</b><i>  they were thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>obo-dhifak</b><i>  it was thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>obo-dhifaku</b><i>  they were thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>obo-dhifaz</b><i>  he/it was thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>obo-dhifazu</b><i>  they were thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>obo-dhifal</b><i>  she/it was thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>obo-dhifalu</b><i>  they were thinking</i></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <h3>Past Perfect</h3> The future continuous tense is formed by adding the prefix <b>ebe-</b> to the base noun stem and adding the personal endings.  The future continuous is translated by the English future continuous. <b>b’dhifa</b><i>  to think</i> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="158"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bobo-dhifam</b><i>  I have thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bobo-dhifamu</b><i>  we have thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bobo-dhifap</b><i>  you have thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bobo-dhifapu</b><i>  you have thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bobo-dhifath</b><i>  it has thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bobo-dhifathu</b><i>  they have thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bobo-dhifak</b><i>  it has thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bobo-dhifaku</b><i>  they have thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bobo-dhifaz</b><i>  he/it has thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bobo-dhifazu</b><i>  they have thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bobo-dhifal</b><i>  she/it has thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bobo-dhifalu</b><i>  they have thought</i></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <h3>The verb b’ava ‘to be’</h3> The verb <b>b’ava</b> is completely regular based on the noun stem <b>ava</b><i>  being.</i> ba-avam, ba-avap, ba-avath, ba-avak, ba-avaz, ba-aval, ba-avamu, ba-avapu, ba-avathu, ba-avaku, ba-avazu, ba-avalu <b> </b> <h3>Verbal Short Forms</h3> In conversation and in poetry, the personal endings can be dropped where the subject is explicit. <blockquote><b>Djasu za ba-thavaz a-efath a-tha</b> <b>Djasu za ba-thava’ a-efath a-tha</b> The man speaks the truth</blockquote> <h1>Participles</h1> There are two kinds of participle, continuous (trad. “present”) and complete (trad. “past”).  They are formed similar to verbs in that they are based on a prefix affixed to the noun stem. <h2>Continuous Participles</h2> The continuous participle is formed by adding the <h2>Complete Participles</h2> <h1>Non-indicative Moods</h1> <h2>Subjunctive</h2> <h2>Imperative</h2> <h1>Prepositions</h1> <h2>Spatial</h2> <table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="160">Locational</td> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="160">Directional To</td> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="160">Directional From</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>ur</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>at</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>ul</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>to</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>um</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>from</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>er</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>in</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>el</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>into</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>em</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>out of</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>or</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>on</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>ol</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>onto</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>om</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>off of</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>ir</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>by/alongside</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>il</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>to alongside</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>im</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>from alongside</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>nur</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>under/beneath</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>nul</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>to under</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>num</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>from under</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>mer</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>between</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>mel</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>to inbetween</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>mem</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>from between</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>ar</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>agains</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>al</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>(to) against</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>am</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>from against</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>war</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>behind</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>wal</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>to behind</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>wam</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>from behind</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>lar</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>before/in front</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>lal</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>to the front</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>lam</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>from before</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>merer</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>throughout</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>merel</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>through</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>merem</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>from among</i></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <h2>Temporal</h2> <table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="82"><b>o</b></td> <td valign="top" width="104"><i>by (instrument)</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="82"><b>i</b></td> <td valign="top" width="104"><i>with (accompaniment)</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="82"><b>la</b></td> <td valign="top" width="104"><i>before</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="82"><b>wa</b></td> <td valign="top" width="104"><i>after</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="82"><b>merel</b></td> <td valign="top" width="104"><i>through(out)</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="82"><b>he</b></td> <td valign="top" width="104"><i>of</i></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <h1>Vocabulary</h1> <table width="496" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120">Entry</td> <td valign="top" width="61">Gender</td> <td valign="top" width="120">Meaning</td> <td valign="top" width="195">Notes</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>kadam</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>earth</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>kadmawe(hu)</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>person (people)</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b>-awe</b>, suff. = “-ite”, “-ling”, “of”</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>geto</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>thing</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>tung</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>way, path</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>alir</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">w</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>water</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>ethra</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>air</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>efath</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>truth</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>thava</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>word</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b>b’thava </b>= “to speak”</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>zazh</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">f</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>fire</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>djasu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">f</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>male/man</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>noten</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>day</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>dhifa</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>dang</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>work</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>dum</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>place</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>kedoten</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>year</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>hav</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>number</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>avath</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>name</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>genot</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>home</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>kid</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>line</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>hadh</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>sound</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>ganad</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>house</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>akkadam</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>world</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>dhifa-gnad</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>school</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195">lit, ‘though-house’</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>eth</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>sky</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>ethila</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>blue</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195">lit. ‘sky-color’</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>dhufah</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>storm</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>kogod</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>business, dealings</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>tega</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>run, course</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b>b’tega</b> = “to run”</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>kodang</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>making, creation</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b>b’kodang</b> = “to make”</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>shadja</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">f</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>sun</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>thuva</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>language</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>dju</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">f</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>son</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>lir</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">w</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>daughter</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>azh</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">f</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>father</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>illa</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">w</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>mother</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>kag</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>stone</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>wal</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">l</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>blood</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <div> <hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" /> <a title="" href="#_ftnref1">[1]</a> This leads many to think that the base form is in fact <b>u</b> with an intervocalic <b>h</b> inserted between two vowels, as opposed to <b>*hu</b> with a dropped <b>h</b> before a consonant.  Were the base form *hu we would expect to see some aspiration in the preceding consonant: <b>genot - *genothu</b><i> home, homes</i>.  Instead, we see <b>genot/genotu</b>. <a title="" href="#_ftnref2">[2]</a> Some believe that <b>meha</b> may be a vestige of an earlier dual form “we two”. [[Category:Languages]] 7f8cb2f8abdf8ca9498b48c951265738ba048892 97 96 2014-03-16T18:09:17Z Schaef 3364594 wikitext text/x-wiki The language of the Elder Folk who inhabited the [[Hidden Lands]] before [[The History]] began.  Their civilization is no more but their ancient language survives as a ritual language in many of the cultures of the Lands Under the Sun. <h2>Alphabet and Pronunciation</h2> Pronunciation is generally the same as in English. IPA values are given below: <table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="83"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Theme I</span></i></td> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="79"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Theme II</span></i></td> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="79"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Theme III</span></i></td> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="79"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Theme IV</span></i></td> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="79"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Universal</span></i></td> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="79"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Vowels</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="44"><b>f</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">f</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>t</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">t</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>s</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">s</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>l</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">l</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>p</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">p</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>a</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">a</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="44"><b>v</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">v</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>d</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">d</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>z</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">z</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>r</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">r</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>b</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">b</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>e</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">e</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="44"><b>th</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">θ</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>n</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">n</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>sh</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">ʃ</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>y</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">j</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>m</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">m</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>i</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">i</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="44"><b>dh</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">ð</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>k</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">k</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>zh</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">ʒ</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>w</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">w</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b> </b></td> <td valign="top" width="40"></td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>o</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">o</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="44"><b>h</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">h x</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>g</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">g</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>dj</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">dʒ</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b> </b></td> <td valign="top" width="40"></td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b> </b></td> <td valign="top" width="40"></td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>u</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">u</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="44"><b> </b></td> <td valign="top" width="40"></td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>ng</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">ŋ</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>ch</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">tʃ</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b> </b></td> <td valign="top" width="40"></td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b> </b></td> <td valign="top" width="40"></td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b> </b></td> <td valign="top" width="40"></td> </tr> </table> <h2>Thematics</h2> Consonants are organized into four themes (see, Gender, below), a set of universals, and five vowels. <h1>Nouns</h1> <h2>Gender</h2> The Language has four genders based on the four ancient elements: air, earth, fire, and water <h3>Air</h3> The Air, or Ethra Gender is identified by the presence of the thematic consonants of the First Theme (f,v,th,dh,h).  It is used for abstract nouns and gasses. <blockquote><b>ethra</b><i>  air</i> <b>efath</b><i> truth</i></blockquote> <h3>Earth</h3> The Earth, or Kadam Gender is identified by the presence of the thematic consonants of the Second Theme (t, d, n, k, g, ng). It is used for ordinary neuter inanimate nouns. <blockquote><b>kadam</b><i>  earth</i> <b>geto</b><i> thing</i></blockquote> <h3>Fire</h3> The Fire, or Zazh Gender is identified by the presence of the thematic consonants of the Third Theme (s, z, sh, zh, dj, ch).  It is used for masculine animates and for forms of energy. <blockquote><b>zazh  </b><i>fire</i> <b>djasu</b><i>  man/male</i></blockquote> <h3>Water</h3> The Water or Alir Gender is identified by the presence of the thematic consonants of the Fourth Theme (l, r, y, w).  It is used for animate feminine nouns and liquids. <blockquote><b>alir</b><i> water</i> <b>lara</b><i>  woman</i></blockquote> <h2>Subjective Form (Absolute)</h2> The subjective form, also known as the absolute, is the basic, lexical form of the noun.  There are no, standard patterns for nouns in any particular gender other than the thematic consonants used in them.  The Language generally resists consonant clusters, but they are found.  All the forms given in the section on gender, above, are in the Subjective Form. The subjective form is used for the subject of a sentence or for the predicate nominative. <h3>The plural</h3> The plural is formed by adding <b>(h)u </b>to the end of a word.  If the word ends in a consonant, the <b>h </b>does not appear.  Even when appearing between two vowels, it is not often pronounced, and often is manifested as a slight pause or lift between vowels. <a href="#_ftn1">[1]</a> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239">Singular</td> <td valign="top" width="239">Plural</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>efath</b><i>  truth</i></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>efathu</b><i> truths</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>djasu</b><i> man/male</i></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>djasuhu</b><i>  men/males</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>lara</b> <i>woman/female</i></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>larahu</b><i>  women/females</i></td> </tr> </table> <h2>Objective Form</h2> The objective form is used for the direct object of the main verb.  It is formed by prefixing <b>a-</b> to the noun, whether singular or plural: <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Subjective</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Objective</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>efath, efathu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>a-efath, a-efathu</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>geto, getohu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>a-geto, a-getohu</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>djasu, djasuhu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>a-djasu, a-djasuhu</b></td> </tr> </table> <h2>Bound Form</h2> The bound form is for any noun used with a preposition.  It is formed by suffixing <b>-a</b> to the noun.  In the plural, <i>the suffix follows the plural ending</i>: <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Subjective</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Bound</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>efath, efathu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>efath-a, efathu-a</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>geto</b></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>geto-a, getohu-a</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>djasu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>djasu-a, djasuhu-a</b></td> </tr> </table> <h2>Adjectives</h2> As with all words in the Language, adjectives are formed from the noun.  Strictly speaking, there are no pure adjectives in the Language, and all adjectival constructions are in fact noun phrases. To form an adjectival phrase, two nouns are connected by the particle <b>va</b> (based on <b>ava</b> <i>being</i>).  If one wanted to say “a blue house” one would take the word <b>ganad </b><i>house</i> and the word <b>ethia</b><i> blue</i> and connect them with the adjectival particle <b>va</b>.  The definite article is placed after the modified noun: <blockquote><b>ganad va-ethia</b> <i>blue house </i> (lit. ‘house being blue-one’)</blockquote> If the noun in question is definite, the definite article is placed after the entire adjectival phrase: <blockquote><b>ganad-va-ethia ka  </b><i>The blue house</i></blockquote> Note that the definite article agrees with the modified noun (here <b>ka </b>agrees with <b>ganad</b>, both earth gender not <b>ethia</b>, air gender). <h2>Personal Pronouns</h2> Personal pronouns cover three persons and two numbers.  In the first person, there are three numbers, a plural exclusive (“we, but not you”) and a plural inclusive (“we, including you”).  In the first and second person, all pronouns are of common/indeterminate gender.  In the third person, there is a pronoun for each gender.  Where those being described are of more than one gender, the earth gender plural is used. <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="160"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="160"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="160"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="160">I</td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>me  </b><i>I</i></td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>meha</b><i>  we </i>(excl)<a title="" href="#_ftn2">[2] </a><b>mehu</b><i>  we</i> (inc)</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="160">II</td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>pe</b><i>  you</i></td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>pehu</b><i>  you </i>(pl.)</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="160">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>the</b><i>  it</i></td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>thehu</b><i>  they</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="160">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>ke  </b><i>it</i></td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>kehu  </b><i>they</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="160">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>ze  </b><i>he/it</i></td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>zehu</b><i> they</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="160">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>le</b><i>  she/it</i></td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>lehu</b><i>  they</i></td> </tr> </table> <h2>Demonstrative Pronouns/Adjectives</h2> Demonstrative pronouns and the Definite Article are based on the personal pronouns (which may in fact be a form of a demonstrative).  The Definite Article and the Demonstratives are as follows. <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="96"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Def. Art. (the)</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">That</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Those</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">This</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">These</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>tha</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>tho</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>thohu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>thi</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>thihu</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>ka</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>ko</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>kohu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>ki</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>kihu</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>za</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>zo</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>zohu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>zi</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>zihu</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>la</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>lo</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>lohu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>li</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>lihu</b></td> </tr> </table> The definite article and the other demonstratives, like all adjectives, follow the noun they modify and take the same case modifiers as their nouns. <blockquote><b>efath tha</b><i>  the truth</i> <b>kadam ka</b><i> the earth</i> <b>djasu zo</b><i> that man</i> <b>larahu lihu</b><i> these women</i> <b>i-larahu-a lihu-a</b><i>  with these women</i><i> </i></blockquote> <h2>Relative Pronouns</h2> <h1>Verbs</h1> The foundation of the Language is the noun.  All verbs, therefore, are derived from the base noun form.  In each tense, personal endings are added based on the personal pronouns. Because of the specificity of the personal endings, an explicit subject need not always be used.  If the noun stem ends in a vowel, the <b>e</b> is elided. <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="95"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="171"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="95"><b>-em</b><i></i></td> <td valign="top" width="171"><b>-emu</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="95"><b>-ep</b><i></i></td> <td valign="top" width="171"><b>-epu</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="95"><b>-eth</b><i></i></td> <td valign="top" width="171"><b>-ethu</b><i></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="95"><b>-ek</b><i></i></td> <td valign="top" width="171"><b>-eku</b><i></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="95"><b>-ez</b><i></i></td> <td valign="top" width="171"><b>-ezu</b><i></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="95"><b>-el</b><i></i></td> <td valign="top" width="171"><b>-elu</b><i></i></td> </tr> </table> <h2>Infinitive</h2> The infinitive is formed by adding <b>b’</b> to the unaugmented verbal noun stem. <b>dhifa</b><i>  thought     </i><i></i><b>b’dhifa</b><i>  to think</i> <i> </i> <h2>Present Tenses</h2> <h3>Simple Present</h3> The simple present tense is formed by adding the prefix <b>ba-</b> to the base noun stem and adding the personal endings.  The simple present is translated by the English simple present. <b>b’zazh</b>  <i>to set on fire</i> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="158"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-zazhem</b><i>  I set on fire</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-zazhemu</b><i>  we set on fire</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-zazhep</b><i>  you set on fire</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-zazhepu</b><i>  you set on fire </i>(pl.)</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-zazheth</b><i>  it sets on fire</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-zazhethu</b><i>  they set on fire</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-zazhek</b><i>  it sets on fire</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-zazheku</b><i>  they set on fire</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-zazhez</b><i>  he/it sets on fire</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-zazhezu</b><i>  they set on fire</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-zazhel</b><i>  she/it sets on fire</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-zazhelu</b><i>  they set on fire</i></td> </tr> </table> <b>b’dhifa</b><i>  to think</i> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="158"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-dhifam</b><i>  I think</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-dhifamu</b><i>  we think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-dhifap</b><i>  you think</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-dhifapu</b><i>  you think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-dhifath</b><i>  it thinks</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-dhifathu</b><i>  they think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-dhifak</b><i>  it thinks</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-dhifaku</b><i>  they think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-dhifaz</b><i>  he/it thinks</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-dhifazu</b><i>  they think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-dhifal</b><i>  she/it thinks</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-dhifalu</b><i>  they think</i></td> </tr> </table> <h3>Present Continuous</h3> The present continuous tense is formed by adding the prefix <b>aba-</b> to the base noun stem and adding the personal endings.  The present continuous is translated by the English present continuous. <b>b’dhifa</b><i>  to think</i> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="158"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>aba-dhifam</b><i>  I am thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>aba-dhifamu</b><i>  we are thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>aba-dhifap</b><i>  you are thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>aba-dhifapu</b><i>  you are thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>aba-dhifath</b><i>  it is thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>aba-dhifathu</b><i>  they are thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>aba-dhifak</b><i>  it is thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>aba-dhifaku</b><i>  they are thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>aba-dhifaz</b><i>  he/it is thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>aba-dhifazu</b><i>  they are thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>aba-dhifal</b><i>  she/it is thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>aba-dhifalu</b><i>  they are thinking</i></td> </tr> </table> <h2>Future Tenses</h2> <h3>Simple Future</h3> The simple future tense is formed by adding the prefix <b>be-</b> to the base noun stem and adding the personal endings.  The simple future is translated by the English simple future. <b>b’dhifa</b><i>  to think</i> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="158"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>be-dhifam</b><i>  I will think</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>be-dhifamu</b><i>  we will think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>be-dhifap</b><i>  you will think</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>be-dhifapu</b><i>  you will think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>be-dhifath</b><i>  it will think</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>be-dhifathu</b><i>  they will think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>be-dhifak</b><i>  it will think</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>be-dhifaku</b><i>  they will think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>be-dhifaz</b><i>  he/it will think</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>be-dhifazu</b><i>  they will think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>be-dhifal</b><i>  she/it will think</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>be-dhifalu</b><i>  they will think</i></td> </tr> </table> <h3>Future Continuous</h3> The future continuous tense is formed by adding the prefix <b>ebe-</b> to the base noun stem and adding the personal endings.  The future continuous is translated by the English future continuous. <b>b’dhifa</b><i>  to think</i> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="158"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ebe-dhifam</b><i>  I will be thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ebe-dhifamu</b><i>  we will be thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ebe-dhifap</b><i>  you will be thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ebe-dhifapu</b><i>  you will be thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ebe-dhifath</b><i>  it will be thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ebe-dhifathu</b><i>  they will be thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ebe-dhifak</b><i>  it will be thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ebe-dhifaku</b><i>  they will be thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ebe-dhifaz</b><i>  he/it will be thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ebe-dhifazu</b><i>  they will be thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ebe-dhifal</b><i>  she/it will be thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ebe-dhifalu</b><i>  they will be thinking</i></td> </tr> </table> <h2>Past Tenses</h2> <h3>Simple Past</h3> The simple past tense is formed by adding the prefix <b>bo-</b> to the base noun stem and adding the personal endings.  The simple past is translated by the English simple past. <b>b’dhifa</b><i>  to think</i> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="158"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bo-dhifam</b><i>  I thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bo-dhifamu</b><i>  we thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bo-dhifap</b><i>  you thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bo-dhifapu</b><i>  you thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bo-dhifath</b><i>  it thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bo-dhifathu</b><i>  they thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bo-dhifak</b><i>  it thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bo-dhifaku</b><i>  they thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bo-dhifaz</b><i>  he/it thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bo-dhifazu</b><i>  they thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bo-dhifal</b><i>  she/it thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bo-dhifalu</b><i>  they thought</i></td> </tr> </table> <h3>Past Continuous</h3> The past continuous tense is formed by adding the prefix <b>obo-</b> to the base noun stem and adding the personal endings.  The past continuous is translated by the English past continuous. <b>b’dhifa</b><i>  to think</i> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="158"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>obo-dhifam</b><i>  I was thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>obo-dhifamu</b><i>  we were thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>obo-dhifap</b><i>  you were thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>obo-dhifapu</b><i>  you were thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>obo-dhifath</b><i>  it was thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>obo-dhifathu</b><i>  they were thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>obo-dhifak</b><i>  it was thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>obo-dhifaku</b><i>  they were thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>obo-dhifaz</b><i>  he/it was thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>obo-dhifazu</b><i>  they were thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>obo-dhifal</b><i>  she/it was thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>obo-dhifalu</b><i>  they were thinking</i></td> </tr> </table> <h3>Past Perfect</h3> The future continuous tense is formed by adding the prefix <b>ebe-</b> to the base noun stem and adding the personal endings.  The future continuous is translated by the English future continuous. <b>b’dhifa</b><i>  to think</i> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="158"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bobo-dhifam</b><i>  I have thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bobo-dhifamu</b><i>  we have thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bobo-dhifap</b><i>  you have thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bobo-dhifapu</b><i>  you have thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bobo-dhifath</b><i>  it has thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bobo-dhifathu</b><i>  they have thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bobo-dhifak</b><i>  it has thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bobo-dhifaku</b><i>  they have thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bobo-dhifaz</b><i>  he/it has thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bobo-dhifazu</b><i>  they have thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bobo-dhifal</b><i>  she/it has thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bobo-dhifalu</b><i>  they have thought</i></td> </tr> </table> <h3>The verb b’ava ‘to be’</h3> The verb <b>b’ava</b> is completely regular based on the noun stem <b>ava</b><i>  being.</i> ba-avam, ba-avap, ba-avath, ba-avak, ba-avaz, ba-aval, ba-avamu, ba-avapu, ba-avathu, ba-avaku, ba-avazu, ba-avalu <b> </b> <h3>Verbal Short Forms</h3> In conversation and in poetry, the personal endings can be dropped where the subject is explicit. <blockquote><b>Djasu za ba-thavaz a-efath a-tha</b> <b>Djasu za ba-thava’ a-efath a-tha</b> The man speaks the truth</blockquote> <h1>Participles</h1> There are two kinds of participle, continuous (trad. “present”) and complete (trad. “past”).  They are formed similar to verbs in that they are based on a prefix affixed to the noun stem. <h2>Continuous Participles</h2> The continuous participle is formed by adding the <h2>Complete Participles</h2> <h1>Non-indicative Moods</h1> <h2>Subjunctive</h2> <h2>Imperative</h2> <h1>Prepositions</h1> <h2>Spatial</h2> <table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="160">Locational</td> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="160">Directional To</td> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="160">Directional From</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>ur</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>at</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>ul</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>to</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>um</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>from</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>er</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>in</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>el</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>into</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>em</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>out of</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>or</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>on</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>ol</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>onto</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>om</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>off of</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>ir</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>by/alongside</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>il</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>to alongside</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>im</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>from alongside</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>nur</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>under/beneath</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>nul</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>to under</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>num</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>from under</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>mer</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>between</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>mel</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>to inbetween</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>mem</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>from between</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>ar</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>agains</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>al</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>(to) against</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>am</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>from against</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>war</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>behind</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>wal</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>to behind</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>wam</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>from behind</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>lar</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>before/in front</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>lal</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>to the front</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>lam</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>from before</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>merer</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>throughout</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>merel</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>through</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>merem</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>from among</i></td> </tr> </table> <h2>Temporal</h2> <table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="82"><b>o</b></td> <td valign="top" width="104"><i>by (instrument)</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="82"><b>i</b></td> <td valign="top" width="104"><i>with (accompaniment)</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="82"><b>la</b></td> <td valign="top" width="104"><i>before</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="82"><b>wa</b></td> <td valign="top" width="104"><i>after</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="82"><b>merel</b></td> <td valign="top" width="104"><i>through(out)</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="82"><b>he</b></td> <td valign="top" width="104"><i>of</i></td> </tr> </table> <h1>Vocabulary</h1> <table width="496" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120">Entry</td> <td valign="top" width="61">Gender</td> <td valign="top" width="120">Meaning</td> <td valign="top" width="195">Notes</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>kadam</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>earth</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>kadmawe(hu)</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>person (people)</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b>-awe</b>, suff. = “-ite”, “-ling”, “of”</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>geto</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>thing</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>tung</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>way, path</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>alir</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">w</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>water</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>ethra</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>air</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>efath</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>truth</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>thava</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>word</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b>b’thava </b>= “to speak”</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>zazh</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">f</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>fire</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>djasu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">f</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>male/man</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>noten</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>day</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>dhifa</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>dang</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>work</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>dum</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>place</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>kedoten</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>year</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>hav</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>number</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>avath</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>name</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>genot</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>home</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>kid</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>line</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>hadh</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>sound</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>ganad</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>house</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>akkadam</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>world</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>dhifa-gnad</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>school</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195">lit, ‘though-house’</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>eth</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>sky</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>ethila</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>blue</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195">lit. ‘sky-color’</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>dhufah</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>storm</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>kogod</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>business, dealings</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>tega</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>run, course</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b>b’tega</b> = “to run”</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>kodang</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>making, creation</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b>b’kodang</b> = “to make”</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>shadja</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">f</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>sun</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>thuva</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>language</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>dju</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">f</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>son</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>lir</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">w</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>daughter</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>azh</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">f</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>father</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>illa</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">w</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>mother</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>kag</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>stone</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>wal</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">l</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>blood</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> </table> <div> <hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" /> <a title="" href="#_ftnref1">[1]</a> This leads many to think that the base form is in fact <b>u</b> with an intervocalic <b>h</b> inserted between two vowels, as opposed to <b>*hu</b> with a dropped <b>h</b> before a consonant.  Were the base form *hu we would expect to see some aspiration in the preceding consonant: <b>genot - *genothu</b><i> home, homes</i>.  Instead, we see <b>genot/genotu</b>. <a title="" href="#_ftnref2">[2]</a> Some believe that <b>meha</b> may be a vestige of an earlier dual form “we two”. [[Category:Languages]] 34a4d4f1e3e1895da7d71959d43bddb02610986b 98 97 2014-03-16T18:14:05Z Schaef 3364594 wikitext text/x-wiki The language of the Elder Folk who inhabited the [[Hidden Lands]] before [[The History]] began.  Their civilization is no more but their ancient language survives as a ritual language in many of the cultures of the Lands Under the Sun. <h2>Alphabet and Pronunciation</h2> Pronunciation is generally the same as in English. IPA values are given below: <table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="83"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Theme I</span></i></td> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="79"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Theme II</span></i></td> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="79"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Theme III</span></i></td> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="79"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Theme IV</span></i></td> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="79"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Universal</span></i></td> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="79"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Vowels</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="44"><b>f</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">f</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>t</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">t</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>s</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">s</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>l</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">l</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>p</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">p</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>a</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">a</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="44"><b>v</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">v</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>d</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">d</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>z</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">z</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>r</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">r</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>b</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">b</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>e</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">e</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="44"><b>th</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">θ</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>n</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">n</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>sh</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">ʃ</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>y</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">j</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>m</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">m</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>i</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">i</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="44"><b>dh</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">ð</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>k</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">k</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>zh</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">ʒ</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>w</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">w</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b> </b></td> <td valign="top" width="40"></td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>o</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">o</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="44"><b>h</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">h x</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>g</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">g</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>dj</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">dʒ</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b> </b></td> <td valign="top" width="40"></td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b> </b></td> <td valign="top" width="40"></td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>u</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">u</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="44"><b> </b></td> <td valign="top" width="40"></td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>ng</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">ŋ</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>ch</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">tʃ</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b> </b></td> <td valign="top" width="40"></td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b> </b></td> <td valign="top" width="40"></td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b> </b></td> <td valign="top" width="40"></td> </tr> </table> <h2>Thematics</h2> Consonants are organized into four themes (see, Gender, below), a set of universals, and five vowels. <h1>Nouns</h1> <h2>Gender</h2> The Language has four genders based on the four ancient elements: air, earth, fire, and water <h3>Air</h3> The Air, or Ethra Gender is identified by the presence of the thematic consonants of the First Theme (f,v,th,dh,h).  It is used for abstract nouns and gasses. <blockquote><b>ethra</b><i>  air</i> <b>efath</b><i> truth</i></blockquote> <h3>Earth</h3> The Earth, or Kadam Gender is identified by the presence of the thematic consonants of the Second Theme (t, d, n, k, g, ng). It is used for ordinary neuter inanimate nouns. <blockquote><b>kadam</b><i>  earth</i> <b>geto</b><i> thing</i></blockquote> <h3>Fire</h3> The Fire, or Zazh Gender is identified by the presence of the thematic consonants of the Third Theme (s, z, sh, zh, dj, ch).  It is used for masculine animates and for forms of energy. <blockquote><b>zazh  </b><i>fire</i> <b>djasu</b><i>  man/male</i></blockquote> <h3>Water</h3> The Water or Alir Gender is identified by the presence of the thematic consonants of the Fourth Theme (l, r, y, w).  It is used for animate feminine nouns and liquids. <blockquote><b>alir</b><i> water</i> <b>lara</b><i>  woman</i></blockquote> <h2>Subjective Form (Absolute)</h2> The subjective form, also known as the absolute, is the basic, lexical form of the noun.  There are no, standard patterns for nouns in any particular gender other than the thematic consonants used in them.  The Language generally resists consonant clusters, but they are found.  All the forms given in the section on gender, above, are in the Subjective Form. The subjective form is used for the subject of a sentence or for the predicate nominative. <h3>The plural</h3> The plural is formed by adding <b>(h)u </b>to the end of a word.  If the word ends in a consonant, the <b>h </b>does not appear.  Even when appearing between two vowels, it is not often pronounced, and often is manifested as a slight pause or lift between vowels. <ref>This leads many to think that the base form is in fact <b>u</b> with an intervocalic <b>h</b> inserted between two vowels, as opposed to <b>*hu</b> with a dropped <b>h</b> before a consonant.  Were the base form *hu we would expect to see some aspiration in the preceding consonant: <b>genot - *genothu</b><i> home, homes</i>.  Instead, we see <b>genot/genotu</b>.</ref> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239">Singular</td> <td valign="top" width="239">Plural</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>efath</b><i>  truth</i></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>efathu</b><i> truths</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>djasu</b><i> man/male</i></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>djasuhu</b><i>  men/males</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>lara</b> <i>woman/female</i></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>larahu</b><i>  women/females</i></td> </tr> </table> <h2>Objective Form</h2> The objective form is used for the direct object of the main verb.  It is formed by prefixing <b>a-</b> to the noun, whether singular or plural: <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Subjective</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Objective</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>efath, efathu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>a-efath, a-efathu</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>geto, getohu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>a-geto, a-getohu</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>djasu, djasuhu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>a-djasu, a-djasuhu</b></td> </tr> </table> <h2>Bound Form</h2> The bound form is for any noun used with a preposition.  It is formed by suffixing <b>-a</b> to the noun.  In the plural, <i>the suffix follows the plural ending</i>: <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Subjective</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Bound</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>efath, efathu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>efath-a, efathu-a</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>geto</b></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>geto-a, getohu-a</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>djasu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>djasu-a, djasuhu-a</b></td> </tr> </table> <h2>Adjectives</h2> As with all words in the Language, adjectives are formed from the noun.  Strictly speaking, there are no pure adjectives in the Language, and all adjectival constructions are in fact noun phrases. To form an adjectival phrase, two nouns are connected by the particle <b>va</b> (based on <b>ava</b> <i>being</i>).  If one wanted to say “a blue house” one would take the word <b>ganad </b><i>house</i> and the word <b>ethia</b><i> blue</i> and connect them with the adjectival particle <b>va</b>.  The definite article is placed after the modified noun: <blockquote><b>ganad va-ethia</b> <i>blue house </i> (lit. ‘house being blue-one’)</blockquote> If the noun in question is definite, the definite article is placed after the entire adjectival phrase: <blockquote><b>ganad-va-ethia ka  </b><i>The blue house</i></blockquote> Note that the definite article agrees with the modified noun (here <b>ka </b>agrees with <b>ganad</b>, both earth gender not <b>ethia</b>, air gender). <h2>Personal Pronouns</h2> Personal pronouns cover three persons and two numbers.  In the first person, there are three numbers, a plural exclusive (“we, but not you”) and a plural inclusive (“we, including you”).  In the first and second person, all pronouns are of common/indeterminate gender.  In the third person, there is a pronoun for each gender.  Where those being described are of more than one gender, the earth gender plural is used. <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="160"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="160"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="160"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="160">I</td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>me  </b><i>I</i></td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>meha</b><i>  we </i>(excl)<ref>Some believe that <b>meha</b> may be a vestige of an earlier dual form “we two”.</ref><b>mehu</b><i>  we</i> (inc)</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="160">II</td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>pe</b><i>  you</i></td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>pehu</b><i>  you </i>(pl.)</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="160">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>the</b><i>  it</i></td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>thehu</b><i>  they</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="160">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>ke  </b><i>it</i></td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>kehu  </b><i>they</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="160">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>ze  </b><i>he/it</i></td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>zehu</b><i> they</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="160">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>le</b><i>  she/it</i></td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>lehu</b><i>  they</i></td> </tr> </table> <h2>Demonstrative Pronouns/Adjectives</h2> Demonstrative pronouns and the Definite Article are based on the personal pronouns (which may in fact be a form of a demonstrative).  The Definite Article and the Demonstratives are as follows. <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="96"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Def. Art. (the)</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">That</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Those</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">This</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">These</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>tha</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>tho</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>thohu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>thi</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>thihu</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>ka</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>ko</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>kohu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>ki</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>kihu</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>za</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>zo</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>zohu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>zi</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>zihu</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>la</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>lo</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>lohu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>li</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>lihu</b></td> </tr> </table> The definite article and the other demonstratives, like all adjectives, follow the noun they modify and take the same case modifiers as their nouns. <blockquote><b>efath tha</b><i>  the truth</i> <b>kadam ka</b><i> the earth</i> <b>djasu zo</b><i> that man</i> <b>larahu lihu</b><i> these women</i> <b>i-larahu-a lihu-a</b><i>  with these women</i><i> </i></blockquote> <h2>Relative Pronouns</h2> <h1>Verbs</h1> The foundation of the Language is the noun.  All verbs, therefore, are derived from the base noun form.  In each tense, personal endings are added based on the personal pronouns. Because of the specificity of the personal endings, an explicit subject need not always be used.  If the noun stem ends in a vowel, the <b>e</b> is elided. <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="95"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="171"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="95"><b>-em</b><i></i></td> <td valign="top" width="171"><b>-emu</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="95"><b>-ep</b><i></i></td> <td valign="top" width="171"><b>-epu</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="95"><b>-eth</b><i></i></td> <td valign="top" width="171"><b>-ethu</b><i></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="95"><b>-ek</b><i></i></td> <td valign="top" width="171"><b>-eku</b><i></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="95"><b>-ez</b><i></i></td> <td valign="top" width="171"><b>-ezu</b><i></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="95"><b>-el</b><i></i></td> <td valign="top" width="171"><b>-elu</b><i></i></td> </tr> </table> <h2>Infinitive</h2> The infinitive is formed by adding <b>b’</b> to the unaugmented verbal noun stem. <b>dhifa</b><i>  thought     </i><i></i><b>b’dhifa</b><i>  to think</i> <i> </i> <h2>Present Tenses</h2> <h3>Simple Present</h3> The simple present tense is formed by adding the prefix <b>ba-</b> to the base noun stem and adding the personal endings.  The simple present is translated by the English simple present. <b>b’zazh</b>  <i>to set on fire</i> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="158"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-zazhem</b><i>  I set on fire</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-zazhemu</b><i>  we set on fire</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-zazhep</b><i>  you set on fire</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-zazhepu</b><i>  you set on fire </i>(pl.)</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-zazheth</b><i>  it sets on fire</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-zazhethu</b><i>  they set on fire</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-zazhek</b><i>  it sets on fire</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-zazheku</b><i>  they set on fire</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-zazhez</b><i>  he/it sets on fire</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-zazhezu</b><i>  they set on fire</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-zazhel</b><i>  she/it sets on fire</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-zazhelu</b><i>  they set on fire</i></td> </tr> </table> <b>b’dhifa</b><i>  to think</i> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="158"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-dhifam</b><i>  I think</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-dhifamu</b><i>  we think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-dhifap</b><i>  you think</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-dhifapu</b><i>  you think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-dhifath</b><i>  it thinks</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-dhifathu</b><i>  they think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-dhifak</b><i>  it thinks</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-dhifaku</b><i>  they think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-dhifaz</b><i>  he/it thinks</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-dhifazu</b><i>  they think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-dhifal</b><i>  she/it thinks</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-dhifalu</b><i>  they think</i></td> </tr> </table> <h3>Present Continuous</h3> The present continuous tense is formed by adding the prefix <b>aba-</b> to the base noun stem and adding the personal endings.  The present continuous is translated by the English present continuous. <b>b’dhifa</b><i>  to think</i> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="158"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>aba-dhifam</b><i>  I am thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>aba-dhifamu</b><i>  we are thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>aba-dhifap</b><i>  you are thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>aba-dhifapu</b><i>  you are thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>aba-dhifath</b><i>  it is thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>aba-dhifathu</b><i>  they are thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>aba-dhifak</b><i>  it is thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>aba-dhifaku</b><i>  they are thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>aba-dhifaz</b><i>  he/it is thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>aba-dhifazu</b><i>  they are thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>aba-dhifal</b><i>  she/it is thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>aba-dhifalu</b><i>  they are thinking</i></td> </tr> </table> <h2>Future Tenses</h2> <h3>Simple Future</h3> The simple future tense is formed by adding the prefix <b>be-</b> to the base noun stem and adding the personal endings.  The simple future is translated by the English simple future. <b>b’dhifa</b><i>  to think</i> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="158"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>be-dhifam</b><i>  I will think</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>be-dhifamu</b><i>  we will think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>be-dhifap</b><i>  you will think</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>be-dhifapu</b><i>  you will think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>be-dhifath</b><i>  it will think</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>be-dhifathu</b><i>  they will think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>be-dhifak</b><i>  it will think</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>be-dhifaku</b><i>  they will think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>be-dhifaz</b><i>  he/it will think</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>be-dhifazu</b><i>  they will think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>be-dhifal</b><i>  she/it will think</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>be-dhifalu</b><i>  they will think</i></td> </tr> </table> <h3>Future Continuous</h3> The future continuous tense is formed by adding the prefix <b>ebe-</b> to the base noun stem and adding the personal endings.  The future continuous is translated by the English future continuous. <b>b’dhifa</b><i>  to think</i> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="158"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ebe-dhifam</b><i>  I will be thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ebe-dhifamu</b><i>  we will be thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ebe-dhifap</b><i>  you will be thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ebe-dhifapu</b><i>  you will be thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ebe-dhifath</b><i>  it will be thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ebe-dhifathu</b><i>  they will be thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ebe-dhifak</b><i>  it will be thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ebe-dhifaku</b><i>  they will be thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ebe-dhifaz</b><i>  he/it will be thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ebe-dhifazu</b><i>  they will be thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ebe-dhifal</b><i>  she/it will be thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ebe-dhifalu</b><i>  they will be thinking</i></td> </tr> </table> <h2>Past Tenses</h2> <h3>Simple Past</h3> The simple past tense is formed by adding the prefix <b>bo-</b> to the base noun stem and adding the personal endings.  The simple past is translated by the English simple past. <b>b’dhifa</b><i>  to think</i> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="158"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bo-dhifam</b><i>  I thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bo-dhifamu</b><i>  we thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bo-dhifap</b><i>  you thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bo-dhifapu</b><i>  you thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bo-dhifath</b><i>  it thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bo-dhifathu</b><i>  they thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bo-dhifak</b><i>  it thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bo-dhifaku</b><i>  they thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bo-dhifaz</b><i>  he/it thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bo-dhifazu</b><i>  they thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bo-dhifal</b><i>  she/it thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bo-dhifalu</b><i>  they thought</i></td> </tr> </table> <h3>Past Continuous</h3> The past continuous tense is formed by adding the prefix <b>obo-</b> to the base noun stem and adding the personal endings.  The past continuous is translated by the English past continuous. <b>b’dhifa</b><i>  to think</i> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="158"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>obo-dhifam</b><i>  I was thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>obo-dhifamu</b><i>  we were thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>obo-dhifap</b><i>  you were thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>obo-dhifapu</b><i>  you were thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>obo-dhifath</b><i>  it was thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>obo-dhifathu</b><i>  they were thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>obo-dhifak</b><i>  it was thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>obo-dhifaku</b><i>  they were thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>obo-dhifaz</b><i>  he/it was thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>obo-dhifazu</b><i>  they were thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>obo-dhifal</b><i>  she/it was thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>obo-dhifalu</b><i>  they were thinking</i></td> </tr> </table> <h3>Past Perfect</h3> The future continuous tense is formed by adding the prefix <b>ebe-</b> to the base noun stem and adding the personal endings.  The future continuous is translated by the English future continuous. <b>b’dhifa</b><i>  to think</i> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="158"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bobo-dhifam</b><i>  I have thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bobo-dhifamu</b><i>  we have thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bobo-dhifap</b><i>  you have thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bobo-dhifapu</b><i>  you have thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bobo-dhifath</b><i>  it has thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bobo-dhifathu</b><i>  they have thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bobo-dhifak</b><i>  it has thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bobo-dhifaku</b><i>  they have thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bobo-dhifaz</b><i>  he/it has thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bobo-dhifazu</b><i>  they have thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bobo-dhifal</b><i>  she/it has thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bobo-dhifalu</b><i>  they have thought</i></td> </tr> </table> <h3>The verb b’ava ‘to be’</h3> The verb <b>b’ava</b> is completely regular based on the noun stem <b>ava</b><i>  being.</i> ba-avam, ba-avap, ba-avath, ba-avak, ba-avaz, ba-aval, ba-avamu, ba-avapu, ba-avathu, ba-avaku, ba-avazu, ba-avalu <b> </b> <h3>Verbal Short Forms</h3> In conversation and in poetry, the personal endings can be dropped where the subject is explicit. <blockquote><b>Djasu za ba-thavaz a-efath a-tha</b> <b>Djasu za ba-thava’ a-efath a-tha</b> The man speaks the truth</blockquote> <h1>Participles</h1> There are two kinds of participle, continuous (trad. “present”) and complete (trad. “past”).  They are formed similar to verbs in that they are based on a prefix affixed to the noun stem. <h2>Continuous Participles</h2> The continuous participle is formed by adding the <h2>Complete Participles</h2> <h1>Non-indicative Moods</h1> <h2>Subjunctive</h2> <h2>Imperative</h2> <h1>Prepositions</h1> <h2>Spatial</h2> <table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="160">Locational</td> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="160">Directional To</td> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="160">Directional From</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>ur</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>at</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>ul</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>to</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>um</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>from</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>er</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>in</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>el</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>into</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>em</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>out of</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>or</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>on</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>ol</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>onto</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>om</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>off of</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>ir</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>by/alongside</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>il</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>to alongside</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>im</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>from alongside</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>nur</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>under/beneath</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>nul</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>to under</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>num</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>from under</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>mer</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>between</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>mel</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>to inbetween</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>mem</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>from between</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>ar</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>agains</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>al</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>(to) against</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>am</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>from against</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>war</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>behind</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>wal</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>to behind</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>wam</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>from behind</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>lar</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>before/in front</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>lal</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>to the front</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>lam</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>from before</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>merer</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>throughout</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>merel</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>through</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>merem</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>from among</i></td> </tr> </table> <h2>Temporal</h2> <table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="82"><b>o</b></td> <td valign="top" width="104"><i>by (instrument)</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="82"><b>i</b></td> <td valign="top" width="104"><i>with (accompaniment)</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="82"><b>la</b></td> <td valign="top" width="104"><i>before</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="82"><b>wa</b></td> <td valign="top" width="104"><i>after</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="82"><b>merel</b></td> <td valign="top" width="104"><i>through(out)</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="82"><b>he</b></td> <td valign="top" width="104"><i>of</i></td> </tr> </table> <h1>Vocabulary</h1> <table width="496" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120">Entry</td> <td valign="top" width="61">Gender</td> <td valign="top" width="120">Meaning</td> <td valign="top" width="195">Notes</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>kadam</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>earth</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>kadmawe(hu)</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>person (people)</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b>-awe</b>, suff. = “-ite”, “-ling”, “of”</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>geto</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>thing</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>tung</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>way, path</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>alir</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">w</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>water</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>ethra</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>air</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>efath</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>truth</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>thava</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>word</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b>b’thava </b>= “to speak”</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>zazh</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">f</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>fire</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>djasu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">f</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>male/man</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>noten</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>day</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>dhifa</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>dang</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>work</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>dum</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>place</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>kedoten</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>year</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>hav</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>number</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>avath</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>name</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>genot</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>home</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>kid</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>line</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>hadh</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>sound</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>ganad</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>house</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>akkadam</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>world</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>dhifa-gnad</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>school</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195">lit, ‘though-house’</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>eth</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>sky</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>ethila</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>blue</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195">lit. ‘sky-color’</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>dhufah</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>storm</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>kogod</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>business, dealings</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>tega</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>run, course</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b>b’tega</b> = “to run”</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>kodang</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>making, creation</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b>b’kodang</b> = “to make”</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>shadja</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">f</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>sun</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>thuva</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>language</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>dju</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">f</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>son</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>lir</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">w</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>daughter</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>azh</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">f</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>father</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>illa</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">w</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>mother</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>kag</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>stone</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>wal</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">l</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>blood</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> </table> <div> <hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" /> [[Category:Languages]] d1e401f2a6462dc5405865910a2f59c7504fb51c 99 98 2014-03-16T18:14:54Z Schaef 3364594 wikitext text/x-wiki The language of the Elder Folk who inhabited the [[Hidden Lands]] before [[The History]] began.  Their civilization is no more but their ancient language survives as a ritual language in many of the cultures of the Lands Under the Sun. <h2>Alphabet and Pronunciation</h2> Pronunciation is generally the same as in English. IPA values are given below: <table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="83"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Theme I</span></i></td> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="79"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Theme II</span></i></td> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="79"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Theme III</span></i></td> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="79"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Theme IV</span></i></td> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="79"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Universal</span></i></td> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="79"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Vowels</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="44"><b>f</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">f</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>t</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">t</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>s</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">s</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>l</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">l</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>p</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">p</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>a</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">a</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="44"><b>v</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">v</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>d</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">d</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>z</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">z</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>r</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">r</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>b</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">b</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>e</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">e</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="44"><b>th</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">θ</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>n</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">n</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>sh</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">ʃ</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>y</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">j</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>m</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">m</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>i</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">i</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="44"><b>dh</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">ð</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>k</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">k</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>zh</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">ʒ</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>w</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">w</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b> </b></td> <td valign="top" width="40"></td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>o</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">o</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="44"><b>h</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">h x</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>g</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">g</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>dj</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">dʒ</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b> </b></td> <td valign="top" width="40"></td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b> </b></td> <td valign="top" width="40"></td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>u</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">u</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="44"><b> </b></td> <td valign="top" width="40"></td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>ng</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">ŋ</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>ch</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">tʃ</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b> </b></td> <td valign="top" width="40"></td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b> </b></td> <td valign="top" width="40"></td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b> </b></td> <td valign="top" width="40"></td> </tr> </table> <h2>Thematics</h2> Consonants are organized into four themes (see, Gender, below), a set of universals, and five vowels. <h1>Nouns</h1> <h2>Gender</h2> The Language has four genders based on the four ancient elements: air, earth, fire, and water <h3>Air</h3> The Air, or Ethra Gender is identified by the presence of the thematic consonants of the First Theme (f,v,th,dh,h).  It is used for abstract nouns and gasses. <blockquote><b>ethra</b><i>  air</i> <b>efath</b><i> truth</i></blockquote> <h3>Earth</h3> The Earth, or Kadam Gender is identified by the presence of the thematic consonants of the Second Theme (t, d, n, k, g, ng). It is used for ordinary neuter inanimate nouns. <blockquote><b>kadam</b><i>  earth</i> <b>geto</b><i> thing</i></blockquote> <h3>Fire</h3> The Fire, or Zazh Gender is identified by the presence of the thematic consonants of the Third Theme (s, z, sh, zh, dj, ch).  It is used for masculine animates and for forms of energy. <blockquote><b>zazh  </b><i>fire</i> <b>djasu</b><i>  man/male</i></blockquote> <h3>Water</h3> The Water or Alir Gender is identified by the presence of the thematic consonants of the Fourth Theme (l, r, y, w).  It is used for animate feminine nouns and liquids. <blockquote><b>alir</b><i> water</i> <b>lara</b><i>  woman</i></blockquote> <h2>Subjective Form (Absolute)</h2> The subjective form, also known as the absolute, is the basic, lexical form of the noun.  There are no, standard patterns for nouns in any particular gender other than the thematic consonants used in them.  The Language generally resists consonant clusters, but they are found.  All the forms given in the section on gender, above, are in the Subjective Form. The subjective form is used for the subject of a sentence or for the predicate nominative. <h3>The plural</h3> The plural is formed by adding <b>(h)u </b>to the end of a word.  If the word ends in a consonant, the <b>h </b>does not appear.  Even when appearing between two vowels, it is not often pronounced, and often is manifested as a slight pause or lift between vowels. <ref>This leads many to think that the base form is in fact <b>u</b> with an intervocalic <b>h</b> inserted between two vowels, as opposed to <b>*hu</b> with a dropped <b>h</b> before a consonant.  Were the base form *hu we would expect to see some aspiration in the preceding consonant: <b>genot - *genothu</b><i> home, homes</i>.  Instead, we see <b>genot/genotu</b>.</ref> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239">Singular</td> <td valign="top" width="239">Plural</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>efath</b><i>  truth</i></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>efathu</b><i> truths</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>djasu</b><i> man/male</i></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>djasuhu</b><i>  men/males</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>lara</b> <i>woman/female</i></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>larahu</b><i>  women/females</i></td> </tr> </table> <h2>Objective Form</h2> The objective form is used for the direct object of the main verb.  It is formed by prefixing <b>a-</b> to the noun, whether singular or plural: <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Subjective</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Objective</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>efath, efathu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>a-efath, a-efathu</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>geto, getohu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>a-geto, a-getohu</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>djasu, djasuhu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>a-djasu, a-djasuhu</b></td> </tr> </table> <h2>Bound Form</h2> The bound form is for any noun used with a preposition.  It is formed by suffixing <b>-a</b> to the noun.  In the plural, <i>the suffix follows the plural ending</i>: <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Subjective</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Bound</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>efath, efathu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>efath-a, efathu-a</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>geto</b></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>geto-a, getohu-a</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>djasu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>djasu-a, djasuhu-a</b></td> </tr> </table> <h2>Adjectives</h2> As with all words in the Language, adjectives are formed from the noun.  Strictly speaking, there are no pure adjectives in the Language, and all adjectival constructions are in fact noun phrases. To form an adjectival phrase, two nouns are connected by the particle <b>va</b> (based on <b>ava</b> <i>being</i>).  If one wanted to say “a blue house” one would take the word <b>ganad </b><i>house</i> and the word <b>ethia</b><i> blue</i> and connect them with the adjectival particle <b>va</b>.  The definite article is placed after the modified noun: <blockquote><b>ganad va-ethia</b> <i>blue house </i> (lit. ‘house being blue-one’)</blockquote> If the noun in question is definite, the definite article is placed after the entire adjectival phrase: <blockquote><b>ganad-va-ethia ka  </b><i>The blue house</i></blockquote> Note that the definite article agrees with the modified noun (here <b>ka </b>agrees with <b>ganad</b>, both earth gender not <b>ethia</b>, air gender). <h2>Personal Pronouns</h2> Personal pronouns cover three persons and two numbers.  In the first person, there are three numbers, a plural exclusive (“we, but not you”) and a plural inclusive (“we, including you”).  In the first and second person, all pronouns are of common/indeterminate gender.  In the third person, there is a pronoun for each gender.  Where those being described are of more than one gender, the earth gender plural is used. <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="160"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="160"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="160"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="160">I</td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>me  </b><i>I</i></td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>meha</b><i>  we </i>(excl)<ref>Some believe that <b>meha</b> may be a vestige of an earlier dual form “we two”.</ref><b>mehu</b><i>  we</i> (inc)</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="160">II</td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>pe</b><i>  you</i></td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>pehu</b><i>  you </i>(pl.)</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="160">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>the</b><i>  it</i></td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>thehu</b><i>  they</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="160">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>ke  </b><i>it</i></td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>kehu  </b><i>they</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="160">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>ze  </b><i>he/it</i></td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>zehu</b><i> they</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="160">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>le</b><i>  she/it</i></td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>lehu</b><i>  they</i></td> </tr> </table> <h2>Demonstrative Pronouns/Adjectives</h2> Demonstrative pronouns and the Definite Article are based on the personal pronouns (which may in fact be a form of a demonstrative).  The Definite Article and the Demonstratives are as follows. <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="96"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Def. Art. (the)</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">That</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Those</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">This</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">These</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>tha</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>tho</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>thohu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>thi</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>thihu</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>ka</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>ko</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>kohu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>ki</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>kihu</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>za</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>zo</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>zohu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>zi</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>zihu</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>la</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>lo</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>lohu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>li</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>lihu</b></td> </tr> </table> The definite article and the other demonstratives, like all adjectives, follow the noun they modify and take the same case modifiers as their nouns. <blockquote><b>efath tha</b><i>  the truth</i> <b>kadam ka</b><i> the earth</i> <b>djasu zo</b><i> that man</i> <b>larahu lihu</b><i> these women</i> <b>i-larahu-a lihu-a</b><i>  with these women</i><i> </i></blockquote> <h2>Relative Pronouns</h2> <h1>Verbs</h1> The foundation of the Language is the noun.  All verbs, therefore, are derived from the base noun form.  In each tense, personal endings are added based on the personal pronouns. Because of the specificity of the personal endings, an explicit subject need not always be used.  If the noun stem ends in a vowel, the <b>e</b> is elided. <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="95"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="171"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="95"><b>-em</b><i></i></td> <td valign="top" width="171"><b>-emu</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="95"><b>-ep</b><i></i></td> <td valign="top" width="171"><b>-epu</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="95"><b>-eth</b><i></i></td> <td valign="top" width="171"><b>-ethu</b><i></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="95"><b>-ek</b><i></i></td> <td valign="top" width="171"><b>-eku</b><i></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="95"><b>-ez</b><i></i></td> <td valign="top" width="171"><b>-ezu</b><i></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="95"><b>-el</b><i></i></td> <td valign="top" width="171"><b>-elu</b><i></i></td> </tr> </table> <h2>Infinitive</h2> The infinitive is formed by adding <b>b’</b> to the unaugmented verbal noun stem. <b>dhifa</b><i>  thought     </i><i></i><b>b’dhifa</b><i>  to think</i> <i> </i> <h2>Present Tenses</h2> <h3>Simple Present</h3> The simple present tense is formed by adding the prefix <b>ba-</b> to the base noun stem and adding the personal endings.  The simple present is translated by the English simple present. <b>b’zazh</b>  <i>to set on fire</i> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="158"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-zazhem</b><i>  I set on fire</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-zazhemu</b><i>  we set on fire</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-zazhep</b><i>  you set on fire</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-zazhepu</b><i>  you set on fire </i>(pl.)</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-zazheth</b><i>  it sets on fire</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-zazhethu</b><i>  they set on fire</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-zazhek</b><i>  it sets on fire</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-zazheku</b><i>  they set on fire</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-zazhez</b><i>  he/it sets on fire</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-zazhezu</b><i>  they set on fire</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-zazhel</b><i>  she/it sets on fire</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-zazhelu</b><i>  they set on fire</i></td> </tr> </table> <b>b’dhifa</b><i>  to think</i> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="158"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-dhifam</b><i>  I think</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-dhifamu</b><i>  we think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-dhifap</b><i>  you think</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-dhifapu</b><i>  you think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-dhifath</b><i>  it thinks</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-dhifathu</b><i>  they think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-dhifak</b><i>  it thinks</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-dhifaku</b><i>  they think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-dhifaz</b><i>  he/it thinks</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-dhifazu</b><i>  they think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-dhifal</b><i>  she/it thinks</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-dhifalu</b><i>  they think</i></td> </tr> </table> <h3>Present Continuous</h3> The present continuous tense is formed by adding the prefix <b>aba-</b> to the base noun stem and adding the personal endings.  The present continuous is translated by the English present continuous. <b>b’dhifa</b><i>  to think</i> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="158"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>aba-dhifam</b><i>  I am thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>aba-dhifamu</b><i>  we are thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>aba-dhifap</b><i>  you are thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>aba-dhifapu</b><i>  you are thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>aba-dhifath</b><i>  it is thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>aba-dhifathu</b><i>  they are thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>aba-dhifak</b><i>  it is thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>aba-dhifaku</b><i>  they are thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>aba-dhifaz</b><i>  he/it is thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>aba-dhifazu</b><i>  they are thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>aba-dhifal</b><i>  she/it is thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>aba-dhifalu</b><i>  they are thinking</i></td> </tr> </table> <h2>Future Tenses</h2> <h3>Simple Future</h3> The simple future tense is formed by adding the prefix <b>be-</b> to the base noun stem and adding the personal endings.  The simple future is translated by the English simple future. <b>b’dhifa</b><i>  to think</i> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="158"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>be-dhifam</b><i>  I will think</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>be-dhifamu</b><i>  we will think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>be-dhifap</b><i>  you will think</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>be-dhifapu</b><i>  you will think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>be-dhifath</b><i>  it will think</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>be-dhifathu</b><i>  they will think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>be-dhifak</b><i>  it will think</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>be-dhifaku</b><i>  they will think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>be-dhifaz</b><i>  he/it will think</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>be-dhifazu</b><i>  they will think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>be-dhifal</b><i>  she/it will think</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>be-dhifalu</b><i>  they will think</i></td> </tr> </table> <h3>Future Continuous</h3> The future continuous tense is formed by adding the prefix <b>ebe-</b> to the base noun stem and adding the personal endings.  The future continuous is translated by the English future continuous. <b>b’dhifa</b><i>  to think</i> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="158"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ebe-dhifam</b><i>  I will be thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ebe-dhifamu</b><i>  we will be thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ebe-dhifap</b><i>  you will be thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ebe-dhifapu</b><i>  you will be thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ebe-dhifath</b><i>  it will be thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ebe-dhifathu</b><i>  they will be thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ebe-dhifak</b><i>  it will be thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ebe-dhifaku</b><i>  they will be thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ebe-dhifaz</b><i>  he/it will be thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ebe-dhifazu</b><i>  they will be thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ebe-dhifal</b><i>  she/it will be thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ebe-dhifalu</b><i>  they will be thinking</i></td> </tr> </table> <h2>Past Tenses</h2> <h3>Simple Past</h3> The simple past tense is formed by adding the prefix <b>bo-</b> to the base noun stem and adding the personal endings.  The simple past is translated by the English simple past. <b>b’dhifa</b><i>  to think</i> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="158"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bo-dhifam</b><i>  I thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bo-dhifamu</b><i>  we thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bo-dhifap</b><i>  you thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bo-dhifapu</b><i>  you thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bo-dhifath</b><i>  it thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bo-dhifathu</b><i>  they thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bo-dhifak</b><i>  it thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bo-dhifaku</b><i>  they thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bo-dhifaz</b><i>  he/it thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bo-dhifazu</b><i>  they thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bo-dhifal</b><i>  she/it thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bo-dhifalu</b><i>  they thought</i></td> </tr> </table> <h3>Past Continuous</h3> The past continuous tense is formed by adding the prefix <b>obo-</b> to the base noun stem and adding the personal endings.  The past continuous is translated by the English past continuous. <b>b’dhifa</b><i>  to think</i> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="158"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>obo-dhifam</b><i>  I was thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>obo-dhifamu</b><i>  we were thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>obo-dhifap</b><i>  you were thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>obo-dhifapu</b><i>  you were thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>obo-dhifath</b><i>  it was thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>obo-dhifathu</b><i>  they were thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>obo-dhifak</b><i>  it was thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>obo-dhifaku</b><i>  they were thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>obo-dhifaz</b><i>  he/it was thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>obo-dhifazu</b><i>  they were thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>obo-dhifal</b><i>  she/it was thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>obo-dhifalu</b><i>  they were thinking</i></td> </tr> </table> <h3>Past Perfect</h3> The future continuous tense is formed by adding the prefix <b>ebe-</b> to the base noun stem and adding the personal endings.  The future continuous is translated by the English future continuous. <b>b’dhifa</b><i>  to think</i> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="158"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bobo-dhifam</b><i>  I have thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bobo-dhifamu</b><i>  we have thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bobo-dhifap</b><i>  you have thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bobo-dhifapu</b><i>  you have thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bobo-dhifath</b><i>  it has thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bobo-dhifathu</b><i>  they have thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bobo-dhifak</b><i>  it has thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bobo-dhifaku</b><i>  they have thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bobo-dhifaz</b><i>  he/it has thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bobo-dhifazu</b><i>  they have thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bobo-dhifal</b><i>  she/it has thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bobo-dhifalu</b><i>  they have thought</i></td> </tr> </table> <h3>The verb b’ava ‘to be’</h3> The verb <b>b’ava</b> is completely regular based on the noun stem <b>ava</b><i>  being.</i> ba-avam, ba-avap, ba-avath, ba-avak, ba-avaz, ba-aval, ba-avamu, ba-avapu, ba-avathu, ba-avaku, ba-avazu, ba-avalu <b> </b> <h3>Verbal Short Forms</h3> In conversation and in poetry, the personal endings can be dropped where the subject is explicit. <blockquote><b>Djasu za ba-thavaz a-efath a-tha</b> <b>Djasu za ba-thava’ a-efath a-tha</b> The man speaks the truth</blockquote> <h1>Participles</h1> There are two kinds of participle, continuous (trad. “present”) and complete (trad. “past”).  They are formed similar to verbs in that they are based on a prefix affixed to the noun stem. <h2>Continuous Participles</h2> The continuous participle is formed by adding the <h2>Complete Participles</h2> <h1>Non-indicative Moods</h1> <h2>Subjunctive</h2> <h2>Imperative</h2> <h1>Prepositions</h1> <h2>Spatial</h2> <table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="160">Locational</td> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="160">Directional To</td> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="160">Directional From</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>ur</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>at</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>ul</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>to</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>um</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>from</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>er</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>in</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>el</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>into</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>em</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>out of</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>or</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>on</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>ol</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>onto</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>om</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>off of</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>ir</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>by/alongside</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>il</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>to alongside</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>im</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>from alongside</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>nur</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>under/beneath</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>nul</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>to under</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>num</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>from under</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>mer</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>between</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>mel</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>to inbetween</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>mem</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>from between</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>ar</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>agains</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>al</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>(to) against</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>am</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>from against</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>war</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>behind</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>wal</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>to behind</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>wam</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>from behind</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>lar</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>before/in front</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>lal</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>to the front</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>lam</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>from before</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>merer</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>throughout</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>merel</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>through</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>merem</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>from among</i></td> </tr> </table> <h2>Temporal</h2> <table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="82"><b>o</b></td> <td valign="top" width="104"><i>by (instrument)</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="82"><b>i</b></td> <td valign="top" width="104"><i>with (accompaniment)</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="82"><b>la</b></td> <td valign="top" width="104"><i>before</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="82"><b>wa</b></td> <td valign="top" width="104"><i>after</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="82"><b>merel</b></td> <td valign="top" width="104"><i>through(out)</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="82"><b>he</b></td> <td valign="top" width="104"><i>of</i></td> </tr> </table> <h1>Vocabulary</h1> <table width="496" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120">Entry</td> <td valign="top" width="61">Gender</td> <td valign="top" width="120">Meaning</td> <td valign="top" width="195">Notes</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>kadam</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>earth</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>kadmawe(hu)</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>person (people)</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b>-awe</b>, suff. = “-ite”, “-ling”, “of”</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>geto</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>thing</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>tung</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>way, path</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>alir</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">w</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>water</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>ethra</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>air</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>efath</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>truth</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>thava</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>word</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b>b’thava </b>= “to speak”</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>zazh</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">f</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>fire</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>djasu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">f</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>male/man</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>noten</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>day</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>dhifa</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>dang</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>work</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>dum</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>place</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>kedoten</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>year</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>hav</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>number</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>avath</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>name</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>genot</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>home</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>kid</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>line</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>hadh</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>sound</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>ganad</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>house</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>akkadam</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>world</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>dhifa-gnad</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>school</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195">lit, ‘though-house’</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>eth</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>sky</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>ethila</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>blue</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195">lit. ‘sky-color’</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>dhufah</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>storm</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>kogod</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>business, dealings</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>tega</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>run, course</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b>b’tega</b> = “to run”</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>kodang</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>making, creation</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b>b’kodang</b> = “to make”</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>shadja</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">f</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>sun</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>thuva</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>language</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>dju</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">f</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>son</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>lir</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">w</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>daughter</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>azh</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">f</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>father</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>illa</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">w</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>mother</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>kag</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>stone</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>wal</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">l</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>blood</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> </table> <div> <hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" /> ==References and Notes== {{references}} [[Category:Languages]] 191313285dddfc8ec9f958bcc663737e1c5cfcfa 100 99 2014-03-16T18:16:09Z Schaef 3364594 /* References and Notes */ wikitext text/x-wiki The language of the Elder Folk who inhabited the [[Hidden Lands]] before [[The History]] began.  Their civilization is no more but their ancient language survives as a ritual language in many of the cultures of the Lands Under the Sun. <h2>Alphabet and Pronunciation</h2> Pronunciation is generally the same as in English. IPA values are given below: <table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="83"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Theme I</span></i></td> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="79"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Theme II</span></i></td> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="79"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Theme III</span></i></td> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="79"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Theme IV</span></i></td> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="79"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Universal</span></i></td> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="79"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Vowels</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="44"><b>f</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">f</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>t</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">t</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>s</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">s</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>l</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">l</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>p</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">p</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>a</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">a</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="44"><b>v</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">v</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>d</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">d</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>z</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">z</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>r</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">r</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>b</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">b</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>e</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">e</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="44"><b>th</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">θ</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>n</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">n</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>sh</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">ʃ</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>y</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">j</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>m</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">m</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>i</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">i</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="44"><b>dh</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">ð</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>k</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">k</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>zh</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">ʒ</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>w</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">w</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b> </b></td> <td valign="top" width="40"></td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>o</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">o</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="44"><b>h</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">h x</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>g</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">g</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>dj</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">dʒ</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b> </b></td> <td valign="top" width="40"></td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b> </b></td> <td valign="top" width="40"></td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>u</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">u</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="44"><b> </b></td> <td valign="top" width="40"></td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>ng</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">ŋ</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>ch</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">tʃ</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b> </b></td> <td valign="top" width="40"></td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b> </b></td> <td valign="top" width="40"></td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b> </b></td> <td valign="top" width="40"></td> </tr> </table> <h2>Thematics</h2> Consonants are organized into four themes (see, Gender, below), a set of universals, and five vowels. <h1>Nouns</h1> <h2>Gender</h2> The Language has four genders based on the four ancient elements: air, earth, fire, and water <h3>Air</h3> The Air, or Ethra Gender is identified by the presence of the thematic consonants of the First Theme (f,v,th,dh,h).  It is used for abstract nouns and gasses. <blockquote><b>ethra</b><i>  air</i> <b>efath</b><i> truth</i></blockquote> <h3>Earth</h3> The Earth, or Kadam Gender is identified by the presence of the thematic consonants of the Second Theme (t, d, n, k, g, ng). It is used for ordinary neuter inanimate nouns. <blockquote><b>kadam</b><i>  earth</i> <b>geto</b><i> thing</i></blockquote> <h3>Fire</h3> The Fire, or Zazh Gender is identified by the presence of the thematic consonants of the Third Theme (s, z, sh, zh, dj, ch).  It is used for masculine animates and for forms of energy. <blockquote><b>zazh  </b><i>fire</i> <b>djasu</b><i>  man/male</i></blockquote> <h3>Water</h3> The Water or Alir Gender is identified by the presence of the thematic consonants of the Fourth Theme (l, r, y, w).  It is used for animate feminine nouns and liquids. <blockquote><b>alir</b><i> water</i> <b>lara</b><i>  woman</i></blockquote> <h2>Subjective Form (Absolute)</h2> The subjective form, also known as the absolute, is the basic, lexical form of the noun.  There are no, standard patterns for nouns in any particular gender other than the thematic consonants used in them.  The Language generally resists consonant clusters, but they are found.  All the forms given in the section on gender, above, are in the Subjective Form. The subjective form is used for the subject of a sentence or for the predicate nominative. <h3>The plural</h3> The plural is formed by adding <b>(h)u </b>to the end of a word.  If the word ends in a consonant, the <b>h </b>does not appear.  Even when appearing between two vowels, it is not often pronounced, and often is manifested as a slight pause or lift between vowels. <ref>This leads many to think that the base form is in fact <b>u</b> with an intervocalic <b>h</b> inserted between two vowels, as opposed to <b>*hu</b> with a dropped <b>h</b> before a consonant.  Were the base form *hu we would expect to see some aspiration in the preceding consonant: <b>genot - *genothu</b><i> home, homes</i>.  Instead, we see <b>genot/genotu</b>.</ref> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239">Singular</td> <td valign="top" width="239">Plural</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>efath</b><i>  truth</i></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>efathu</b><i> truths</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>djasu</b><i> man/male</i></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>djasuhu</b><i>  men/males</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>lara</b> <i>woman/female</i></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>larahu</b><i>  women/females</i></td> </tr> </table> <h2>Objective Form</h2> The objective form is used for the direct object of the main verb.  It is formed by prefixing <b>a-</b> to the noun, whether singular or plural: <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Subjective</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Objective</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>efath, efathu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>a-efath, a-efathu</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>geto, getohu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>a-geto, a-getohu</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>djasu, djasuhu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>a-djasu, a-djasuhu</b></td> </tr> </table> <h2>Bound Form</h2> The bound form is for any noun used with a preposition.  It is formed by suffixing <b>-a</b> to the noun.  In the plural, <i>the suffix follows the plural ending</i>: <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Subjective</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Bound</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>efath, efathu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>efath-a, efathu-a</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>geto</b></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>geto-a, getohu-a</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>djasu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>djasu-a, djasuhu-a</b></td> </tr> </table> <h2>Adjectives</h2> As with all words in the Language, adjectives are formed from the noun.  Strictly speaking, there are no pure adjectives in the Language, and all adjectival constructions are in fact noun phrases. To form an adjectival phrase, two nouns are connected by the particle <b>va</b> (based on <b>ava</b> <i>being</i>).  If one wanted to say “a blue house” one would take the word <b>ganad </b><i>house</i> and the word <b>ethia</b><i> blue</i> and connect them with the adjectival particle <b>va</b>.  The definite article is placed after the modified noun: <blockquote><b>ganad va-ethia</b> <i>blue house </i> (lit. ‘house being blue-one’)</blockquote> If the noun in question is definite, the definite article is placed after the entire adjectival phrase: <blockquote><b>ganad-va-ethia ka  </b><i>The blue house</i></blockquote> Note that the definite article agrees with the modified noun (here <b>ka </b>agrees with <b>ganad</b>, both earth gender not <b>ethia</b>, air gender). <h2>Personal Pronouns</h2> Personal pronouns cover three persons and two numbers.  In the first person, there are three numbers, a plural exclusive (“we, but not you”) and a plural inclusive (“we, including you”).  In the first and second person, all pronouns are of common/indeterminate gender.  In the third person, there is a pronoun for each gender.  Where those being described are of more than one gender, the earth gender plural is used. <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="160"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="160"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="160"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="160">I</td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>me  </b><i>I</i></td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>meha</b><i>  we </i>(excl)<ref>Some believe that <b>meha</b> may be a vestige of an earlier dual form “we two”.</ref><b>mehu</b><i>  we</i> (inc)</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="160">II</td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>pe</b><i>  you</i></td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>pehu</b><i>  you </i>(pl.)</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="160">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>the</b><i>  it</i></td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>thehu</b><i>  they</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="160">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>ke  </b><i>it</i></td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>kehu  </b><i>they</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="160">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>ze  </b><i>he/it</i></td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>zehu</b><i> they</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="160">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>le</b><i>  she/it</i></td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>lehu</b><i>  they</i></td> </tr> </table> <h2>Demonstrative Pronouns/Adjectives</h2> Demonstrative pronouns and the Definite Article are based on the personal pronouns (which may in fact be a form of a demonstrative).  The Definite Article and the Demonstratives are as follows. <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="96"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Def. Art. (the)</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">That</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Those</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">This</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">These</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>tha</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>tho</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>thohu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>thi</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>thihu</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>ka</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>ko</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>kohu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>ki</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>kihu</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>za</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>zo</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>zohu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>zi</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>zihu</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>la</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>lo</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>lohu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>li</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>lihu</b></td> </tr> </table> The definite article and the other demonstratives, like all adjectives, follow the noun they modify and take the same case modifiers as their nouns. <blockquote><b>efath tha</b><i>  the truth</i> <b>kadam ka</b><i> the earth</i> <b>djasu zo</b><i> that man</i> <b>larahu lihu</b><i> these women</i> <b>i-larahu-a lihu-a</b><i>  with these women</i><i> </i></blockquote> <h2>Relative Pronouns</h2> <h1>Verbs</h1> The foundation of the Language is the noun.  All verbs, therefore, are derived from the base noun form.  In each tense, personal endings are added based on the personal pronouns. Because of the specificity of the personal endings, an explicit subject need not always be used.  If the noun stem ends in a vowel, the <b>e</b> is elided. <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="95"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="171"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="95"><b>-em</b><i></i></td> <td valign="top" width="171"><b>-emu</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="95"><b>-ep</b><i></i></td> <td valign="top" width="171"><b>-epu</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="95"><b>-eth</b><i></i></td> <td valign="top" width="171"><b>-ethu</b><i></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="95"><b>-ek</b><i></i></td> <td valign="top" width="171"><b>-eku</b><i></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="95"><b>-ez</b><i></i></td> <td valign="top" width="171"><b>-ezu</b><i></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="95"><b>-el</b><i></i></td> <td valign="top" width="171"><b>-elu</b><i></i></td> </tr> </table> <h2>Infinitive</h2> The infinitive is formed by adding <b>b’</b> to the unaugmented verbal noun stem. <b>dhifa</b><i>  thought     </i><i></i><b>b’dhifa</b><i>  to think</i> <i> </i> <h2>Present Tenses</h2> <h3>Simple Present</h3> The simple present tense is formed by adding the prefix <b>ba-</b> to the base noun stem and adding the personal endings.  The simple present is translated by the English simple present. <b>b’zazh</b>  <i>to set on fire</i> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="158"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-zazhem</b><i>  I set on fire</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-zazhemu</b><i>  we set on fire</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-zazhep</b><i>  you set on fire</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-zazhepu</b><i>  you set on fire </i>(pl.)</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-zazheth</b><i>  it sets on fire</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-zazhethu</b><i>  they set on fire</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-zazhek</b><i>  it sets on fire</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-zazheku</b><i>  they set on fire</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-zazhez</b><i>  he/it sets on fire</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-zazhezu</b><i>  they set on fire</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-zazhel</b><i>  she/it sets on fire</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-zazhelu</b><i>  they set on fire</i></td> </tr> </table> <b>b’dhifa</b><i>  to think</i> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="158"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-dhifam</b><i>  I think</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-dhifamu</b><i>  we think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-dhifap</b><i>  you think</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-dhifapu</b><i>  you think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-dhifath</b><i>  it thinks</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-dhifathu</b><i>  they think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-dhifak</b><i>  it thinks</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-dhifaku</b><i>  they think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-dhifaz</b><i>  he/it thinks</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-dhifazu</b><i>  they think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-dhifal</b><i>  she/it thinks</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-dhifalu</b><i>  they think</i></td> </tr> </table> <h3>Present Continuous</h3> The present continuous tense is formed by adding the prefix <b>aba-</b> to the base noun stem and adding the personal endings.  The present continuous is translated by the English present continuous. <b>b’dhifa</b><i>  to think</i> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="158"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>aba-dhifam</b><i>  I am thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>aba-dhifamu</b><i>  we are thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>aba-dhifap</b><i>  you are thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>aba-dhifapu</b><i>  you are thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>aba-dhifath</b><i>  it is thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>aba-dhifathu</b><i>  they are thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>aba-dhifak</b><i>  it is thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>aba-dhifaku</b><i>  they are thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>aba-dhifaz</b><i>  he/it is thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>aba-dhifazu</b><i>  they are thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>aba-dhifal</b><i>  she/it is thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>aba-dhifalu</b><i>  they are thinking</i></td> </tr> </table> <h2>Future Tenses</h2> <h3>Simple Future</h3> The simple future tense is formed by adding the prefix <b>be-</b> to the base noun stem and adding the personal endings.  The simple future is translated by the English simple future. <b>b’dhifa</b><i>  to think</i> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="158"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>be-dhifam</b><i>  I will think</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>be-dhifamu</b><i>  we will think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>be-dhifap</b><i>  you will think</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>be-dhifapu</b><i>  you will think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>be-dhifath</b><i>  it will think</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>be-dhifathu</b><i>  they will think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>be-dhifak</b><i>  it will think</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>be-dhifaku</b><i>  they will think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>be-dhifaz</b><i>  he/it will think</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>be-dhifazu</b><i>  they will think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>be-dhifal</b><i>  she/it will think</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>be-dhifalu</b><i>  they will think</i></td> </tr> </table> <h3>Future Continuous</h3> The future continuous tense is formed by adding the prefix <b>ebe-</b> to the base noun stem and adding the personal endings.  The future continuous is translated by the English future continuous. <b>b’dhifa</b><i>  to think</i> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="158"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ebe-dhifam</b><i>  I will be thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ebe-dhifamu</b><i>  we will be thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ebe-dhifap</b><i>  you will be thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ebe-dhifapu</b><i>  you will be thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ebe-dhifath</b><i>  it will be thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ebe-dhifathu</b><i>  they will be thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ebe-dhifak</b><i>  it will be thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ebe-dhifaku</b><i>  they will be thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ebe-dhifaz</b><i>  he/it will be thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ebe-dhifazu</b><i>  they will be thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ebe-dhifal</b><i>  she/it will be thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ebe-dhifalu</b><i>  they will be thinking</i></td> </tr> </table> <h2>Past Tenses</h2> <h3>Simple Past</h3> The simple past tense is formed by adding the prefix <b>bo-</b> to the base noun stem and adding the personal endings.  The simple past is translated by the English simple past. <b>b’dhifa</b><i>  to think</i> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="158"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bo-dhifam</b><i>  I thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bo-dhifamu</b><i>  we thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bo-dhifap</b><i>  you thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bo-dhifapu</b><i>  you thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bo-dhifath</b><i>  it thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bo-dhifathu</b><i>  they thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bo-dhifak</b><i>  it thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bo-dhifaku</b><i>  they thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bo-dhifaz</b><i>  he/it thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bo-dhifazu</b><i>  they thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bo-dhifal</b><i>  she/it thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bo-dhifalu</b><i>  they thought</i></td> </tr> </table> <h3>Past Continuous</h3> The past continuous tense is formed by adding the prefix <b>obo-</b> to the base noun stem and adding the personal endings.  The past continuous is translated by the English past continuous. <b>b’dhifa</b><i>  to think</i> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="158"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>obo-dhifam</b><i>  I was thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>obo-dhifamu</b><i>  we were thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>obo-dhifap</b><i>  you were thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>obo-dhifapu</b><i>  you were thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>obo-dhifath</b><i>  it was thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>obo-dhifathu</b><i>  they were thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>obo-dhifak</b><i>  it was thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>obo-dhifaku</b><i>  they were thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>obo-dhifaz</b><i>  he/it was thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>obo-dhifazu</b><i>  they were thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>obo-dhifal</b><i>  she/it was thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>obo-dhifalu</b><i>  they were thinking</i></td> </tr> </table> <h3>Past Perfect</h3> The future continuous tense is formed by adding the prefix <b>ebe-</b> to the base noun stem and adding the personal endings.  The future continuous is translated by the English future continuous. <b>b’dhifa</b><i>  to think</i> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="158"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bobo-dhifam</b><i>  I have thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bobo-dhifamu</b><i>  we have thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bobo-dhifap</b><i>  you have thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bobo-dhifapu</b><i>  you have thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bobo-dhifath</b><i>  it has thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bobo-dhifathu</b><i>  they have thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bobo-dhifak</b><i>  it has thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bobo-dhifaku</b><i>  they have thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bobo-dhifaz</b><i>  he/it has thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bobo-dhifazu</b><i>  they have thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bobo-dhifal</b><i>  she/it has thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bobo-dhifalu</b><i>  they have thought</i></td> </tr> </table> <h3>The verb b’ava ‘to be’</h3> The verb <b>b’ava</b> is completely regular based on the noun stem <b>ava</b><i>  being.</i> ba-avam, ba-avap, ba-avath, ba-avak, ba-avaz, ba-aval, ba-avamu, ba-avapu, ba-avathu, ba-avaku, ba-avazu, ba-avalu <b> </b> <h3>Verbal Short Forms</h3> In conversation and in poetry, the personal endings can be dropped where the subject is explicit. <blockquote><b>Djasu za ba-thavaz a-efath a-tha</b> <b>Djasu za ba-thava’ a-efath a-tha</b> The man speaks the truth</blockquote> <h1>Participles</h1> There are two kinds of participle, continuous (trad. “present”) and complete (trad. “past”).  They are formed similar to verbs in that they are based on a prefix affixed to the noun stem. <h2>Continuous Participles</h2> The continuous participle is formed by adding the <h2>Complete Participles</h2> <h1>Non-indicative Moods</h1> <h2>Subjunctive</h2> <h2>Imperative</h2> <h1>Prepositions</h1> <h2>Spatial</h2> <table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="160">Locational</td> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="160">Directional To</td> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="160">Directional From</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>ur</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>at</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>ul</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>to</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>um</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>from</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>er</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>in</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>el</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>into</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>em</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>out of</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>or</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>on</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>ol</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>onto</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>om</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>off of</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>ir</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>by/alongside</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>il</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>to alongside</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>im</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>from alongside</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>nur</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>under/beneath</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>nul</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>to under</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>num</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>from under</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>mer</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>between</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>mel</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>to inbetween</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>mem</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>from between</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>ar</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>agains</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>al</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>(to) against</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>am</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>from against</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>war</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>behind</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>wal</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>to behind</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>wam</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>from behind</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>lar</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>before/in front</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>lal</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>to the front</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>lam</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>from before</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>merer</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>throughout</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>merel</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>through</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>merem</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>from among</i></td> </tr> </table> <h2>Temporal</h2> <table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="82"><b>o</b></td> <td valign="top" width="104"><i>by (instrument)</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="82"><b>i</b></td> <td valign="top" width="104"><i>with (accompaniment)</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="82"><b>la</b></td> <td valign="top" width="104"><i>before</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="82"><b>wa</b></td> <td valign="top" width="104"><i>after</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="82"><b>merel</b></td> <td valign="top" width="104"><i>through(out)</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="82"><b>he</b></td> <td valign="top" width="104"><i>of</i></td> </tr> </table> <h1>Vocabulary</h1> <table width="496" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120">Entry</td> <td valign="top" width="61">Gender</td> <td valign="top" width="120">Meaning</td> <td valign="top" width="195">Notes</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>kadam</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>earth</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>kadmawe(hu)</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>person (people)</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b>-awe</b>, suff. = “-ite”, “-ling”, “of”</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>geto</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>thing</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>tung</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>way, path</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>alir</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">w</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>water</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>ethra</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>air</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>efath</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>truth</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>thava</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>word</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b>b’thava </b>= “to speak”</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>zazh</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">f</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>fire</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>djasu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">f</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>male/man</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>noten</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>day</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>dhifa</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>dang</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>work</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>dum</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>place</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>kedoten</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>year</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>hav</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>number</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>avath</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>name</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>genot</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>home</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>kid</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>line</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>hadh</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>sound</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>ganad</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>house</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>akkadam</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>world</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>dhifa-gnad</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>school</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195">lit, ‘though-house’</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>eth</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>sky</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>ethila</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>blue</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195">lit. ‘sky-color’</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>dhufah</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>storm</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>kogod</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>business, dealings</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>tega</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>run, course</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b>b’tega</b> = “to run”</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>kodang</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>making, creation</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b>b’kodang</b> = “to make”</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>shadja</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">f</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>sun</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>thuva</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>language</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>dju</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">f</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>son</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>lir</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">w</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>daughter</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>azh</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">f</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>father</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>illa</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">w</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>mother</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>kag</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>stone</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>wal</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">l</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>blood</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> </table> <div> <hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" /> ==References and Notes== {{references}} {{reflist|2}} [[Category:Languages]] a7954489e082346dcd4d2b64338d0982684ae456 101 100 2014-03-16T18:16:33Z Schaef 3364594 /* References and Notes */ wikitext text/x-wiki The language of the Elder Folk who inhabited the [[Hidden Lands]] before [[The History]] began.  Their civilization is no more but their ancient language survives as a ritual language in many of the cultures of the Lands Under the Sun. <h2>Alphabet and Pronunciation</h2> Pronunciation is generally the same as in English. IPA values are given below: <table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="83"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Theme I</span></i></td> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="79"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Theme II</span></i></td> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="79"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Theme III</span></i></td> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="79"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Theme IV</span></i></td> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="79"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Universal</span></i></td> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="79"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Vowels</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="44"><b>f</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">f</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>t</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">t</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>s</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">s</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>l</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">l</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>p</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">p</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>a</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">a</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="44"><b>v</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">v</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>d</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">d</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>z</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">z</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>r</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">r</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>b</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">b</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>e</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">e</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="44"><b>th</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">θ</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>n</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">n</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>sh</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">ʃ</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>y</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">j</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>m</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">m</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>i</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">i</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="44"><b>dh</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">ð</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>k</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">k</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>zh</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">ʒ</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>w</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">w</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b> </b></td> <td valign="top" width="40"></td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>o</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">o</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="44"><b>h</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">h x</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>g</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">g</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>dj</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">dʒ</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b> </b></td> <td valign="top" width="40"></td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b> </b></td> <td valign="top" width="40"></td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>u</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">u</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="44"><b> </b></td> <td valign="top" width="40"></td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>ng</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">ŋ</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b>ch</b></td> <td valign="top" width="40">tʃ</td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b> </b></td> <td valign="top" width="40"></td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b> </b></td> <td valign="top" width="40"></td> <td valign="top" width="40"><b> </b></td> <td valign="top" width="40"></td> </tr> </table> <h2>Thematics</h2> Consonants are organized into four themes (see, Gender, below), a set of universals, and five vowels. <h1>Nouns</h1> <h2>Gender</h2> The Language has four genders based on the four ancient elements: air, earth, fire, and water <h3>Air</h3> The Air, or Ethra Gender is identified by the presence of the thematic consonants of the First Theme (f,v,th,dh,h).  It is used for abstract nouns and gasses. <blockquote><b>ethra</b><i>  air</i> <b>efath</b><i> truth</i></blockquote> <h3>Earth</h3> The Earth, or Kadam Gender is identified by the presence of the thematic consonants of the Second Theme (t, d, n, k, g, ng). It is used for ordinary neuter inanimate nouns. <blockquote><b>kadam</b><i>  earth</i> <b>geto</b><i> thing</i></blockquote> <h3>Fire</h3> The Fire, or Zazh Gender is identified by the presence of the thematic consonants of the Third Theme (s, z, sh, zh, dj, ch).  It is used for masculine animates and for forms of energy. <blockquote><b>zazh  </b><i>fire</i> <b>djasu</b><i>  man/male</i></blockquote> <h3>Water</h3> The Water or Alir Gender is identified by the presence of the thematic consonants of the Fourth Theme (l, r, y, w).  It is used for animate feminine nouns and liquids. <blockquote><b>alir</b><i> water</i> <b>lara</b><i>  woman</i></blockquote> <h2>Subjective Form (Absolute)</h2> The subjective form, also known as the absolute, is the basic, lexical form of the noun.  There are no, standard patterns for nouns in any particular gender other than the thematic consonants used in them.  The Language generally resists consonant clusters, but they are found.  All the forms given in the section on gender, above, are in the Subjective Form. The subjective form is used for the subject of a sentence or for the predicate nominative. <h3>The plural</h3> The plural is formed by adding <b>(h)u </b>to the end of a word.  If the word ends in a consonant, the <b>h </b>does not appear.  Even when appearing between two vowels, it is not often pronounced, and often is manifested as a slight pause or lift between vowels. <ref>This leads many to think that the base form is in fact <b>u</b> with an intervocalic <b>h</b> inserted between two vowels, as opposed to <b>*hu</b> with a dropped <b>h</b> before a consonant.  Were the base form *hu we would expect to see some aspiration in the preceding consonant: <b>genot - *genothu</b><i> home, homes</i>.  Instead, we see <b>genot/genotu</b>.</ref> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239">Singular</td> <td valign="top" width="239">Plural</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>efath</b><i>  truth</i></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>efathu</b><i> truths</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>djasu</b><i> man/male</i></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>djasuhu</b><i>  men/males</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>lara</b> <i>woman/female</i></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>larahu</b><i>  women/females</i></td> </tr> </table> <h2>Objective Form</h2> The objective form is used for the direct object of the main verb.  It is formed by prefixing <b>a-</b> to the noun, whether singular or plural: <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Subjective</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Objective</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>efath, efathu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>a-efath, a-efathu</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>geto, getohu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>a-geto, a-getohu</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>djasu, djasuhu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>a-djasu, a-djasuhu</b></td> </tr> </table> <h2>Bound Form</h2> The bound form is for any noun used with a preposition.  It is formed by suffixing <b>-a</b> to the noun.  In the plural, <i>the suffix follows the plural ending</i>: <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Subjective</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Bound</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>efath, efathu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>efath-a, efathu-a</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>geto</b></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>geto-a, getohu-a</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>djasu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="239"><b>djasu-a, djasuhu-a</b></td> </tr> </table> <h2>Adjectives</h2> As with all words in the Language, adjectives are formed from the noun.  Strictly speaking, there are no pure adjectives in the Language, and all adjectival constructions are in fact noun phrases. To form an adjectival phrase, two nouns are connected by the particle <b>va</b> (based on <b>ava</b> <i>being</i>).  If one wanted to say “a blue house” one would take the word <b>ganad </b><i>house</i> and the word <b>ethia</b><i> blue</i> and connect them with the adjectival particle <b>va</b>.  The definite article is placed after the modified noun: <blockquote><b>ganad va-ethia</b> <i>blue house </i> (lit. ‘house being blue-one’)</blockquote> If the noun in question is definite, the definite article is placed after the entire adjectival phrase: <blockquote><b>ganad-va-ethia ka  </b><i>The blue house</i></blockquote> Note that the definite article agrees with the modified noun (here <b>ka </b>agrees with <b>ganad</b>, both earth gender not <b>ethia</b>, air gender). <h2>Personal Pronouns</h2> Personal pronouns cover three persons and two numbers.  In the first person, there are three numbers, a plural exclusive (“we, but not you”) and a plural inclusive (“we, including you”).  In the first and second person, all pronouns are of common/indeterminate gender.  In the third person, there is a pronoun for each gender.  Where those being described are of more than one gender, the earth gender plural is used. <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="160"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="160"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="160"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="160">I</td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>me  </b><i>I</i></td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>meha</b><i>  we </i>(excl)<ref>Some believe that <b>meha</b> may be a vestige of an earlier dual form “we two”.</ref><b>mehu</b><i>  we</i> (inc)</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="160">II</td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>pe</b><i>  you</i></td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>pehu</b><i>  you </i>(pl.)</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="160">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>the</b><i>  it</i></td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>thehu</b><i>  they</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="160">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>ke  </b><i>it</i></td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>kehu  </b><i>they</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="160">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>ze  </b><i>he/it</i></td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>zehu</b><i> they</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="160">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>le</b><i>  she/it</i></td> <td valign="top" width="160"><b>lehu</b><i>  they</i></td> </tr> </table> <h2>Demonstrative Pronouns/Adjectives</h2> Demonstrative pronouns and the Definite Article are based on the personal pronouns (which may in fact be a form of a demonstrative).  The Definite Article and the Demonstratives are as follows. <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="96"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Def. Art. (the)</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">That</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Those</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">This</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">These</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>tha</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>tho</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>thohu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>thi</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>thihu</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>ka</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>ko</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>kohu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>ki</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>kihu</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>za</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>zo</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>zohu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>zi</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>zihu</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>la</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>lo</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>lohu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>li</b></td> <td valign="top" width="96"><b>lihu</b></td> </tr> </table> The definite article and the other demonstratives, like all adjectives, follow the noun they modify and take the same case modifiers as their nouns. <blockquote><b>efath tha</b><i>  the truth</i> <b>kadam ka</b><i> the earth</i> <b>djasu zo</b><i> that man</i> <b>larahu lihu</b><i> these women</i> <b>i-larahu-a lihu-a</b><i>  with these women</i><i> </i></blockquote> <h2>Relative Pronouns</h2> <h1>Verbs</h1> The foundation of the Language is the noun.  All verbs, therefore, are derived from the base noun form.  In each tense, personal endings are added based on the personal pronouns. Because of the specificity of the personal endings, an explicit subject need not always be used.  If the noun stem ends in a vowel, the <b>e</b> is elided. <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="95"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="171"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="95"><b>-em</b><i></i></td> <td valign="top" width="171"><b>-emu</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="95"><b>-ep</b><i></i></td> <td valign="top" width="171"><b>-epu</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="95"><b>-eth</b><i></i></td> <td valign="top" width="171"><b>-ethu</b><i></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="95"><b>-ek</b><i></i></td> <td valign="top" width="171"><b>-eku</b><i></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="95"><b>-ez</b><i></i></td> <td valign="top" width="171"><b>-ezu</b><i></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="95"><b>-el</b><i></i></td> <td valign="top" width="171"><b>-elu</b><i></i></td> </tr> </table> <h2>Infinitive</h2> The infinitive is formed by adding <b>b’</b> to the unaugmented verbal noun stem. <b>dhifa</b><i>  thought     </i><i></i><b>b’dhifa</b><i>  to think</i> <i> </i> <h2>Present Tenses</h2> <h3>Simple Present</h3> The simple present tense is formed by adding the prefix <b>ba-</b> to the base noun stem and adding the personal endings.  The simple present is translated by the English simple present. <b>b’zazh</b>  <i>to set on fire</i> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="158"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-zazhem</b><i>  I set on fire</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-zazhemu</b><i>  we set on fire</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-zazhep</b><i>  you set on fire</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-zazhepu</b><i>  you set on fire </i>(pl.)</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-zazheth</b><i>  it sets on fire</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-zazhethu</b><i>  they set on fire</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-zazhek</b><i>  it sets on fire</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-zazheku</b><i>  they set on fire</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-zazhez</b><i>  he/it sets on fire</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-zazhezu</b><i>  they set on fire</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-zazhel</b><i>  she/it sets on fire</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-zazhelu</b><i>  they set on fire</i></td> </tr> </table> <b>b’dhifa</b><i>  to think</i> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="158"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-dhifam</b><i>  I think</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-dhifamu</b><i>  we think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-dhifap</b><i>  you think</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-dhifapu</b><i>  you think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-dhifath</b><i>  it thinks</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-dhifathu</b><i>  they think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-dhifak</b><i>  it thinks</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-dhifaku</b><i>  they think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-dhifaz</b><i>  he/it thinks</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-dhifazu</b><i>  they think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ba-dhifal</b><i>  she/it thinks</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ba-dhifalu</b><i>  they think</i></td> </tr> </table> <h3>Present Continuous</h3> The present continuous tense is formed by adding the prefix <b>aba-</b> to the base noun stem and adding the personal endings.  The present continuous is translated by the English present continuous. <b>b’dhifa</b><i>  to think</i> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="158"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>aba-dhifam</b><i>  I am thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>aba-dhifamu</b><i>  we are thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>aba-dhifap</b><i>  you are thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>aba-dhifapu</b><i>  you are thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>aba-dhifath</b><i>  it is thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>aba-dhifathu</b><i>  they are thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>aba-dhifak</b><i>  it is thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>aba-dhifaku</b><i>  they are thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>aba-dhifaz</b><i>  he/it is thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>aba-dhifazu</b><i>  they are thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>aba-dhifal</b><i>  she/it is thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>aba-dhifalu</b><i>  they are thinking</i></td> </tr> </table> <h2>Future Tenses</h2> <h3>Simple Future</h3> The simple future tense is formed by adding the prefix <b>be-</b> to the base noun stem and adding the personal endings.  The simple future is translated by the English simple future. <b>b’dhifa</b><i>  to think</i> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="158"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>be-dhifam</b><i>  I will think</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>be-dhifamu</b><i>  we will think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>be-dhifap</b><i>  you will think</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>be-dhifapu</b><i>  you will think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>be-dhifath</b><i>  it will think</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>be-dhifathu</b><i>  they will think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>be-dhifak</b><i>  it will think</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>be-dhifaku</b><i>  they will think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>be-dhifaz</b><i>  he/it will think</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>be-dhifazu</b><i>  they will think</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>be-dhifal</b><i>  she/it will think</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>be-dhifalu</b><i>  they will think</i></td> </tr> </table> <h3>Future Continuous</h3> The future continuous tense is formed by adding the prefix <b>ebe-</b> to the base noun stem and adding the personal endings.  The future continuous is translated by the English future continuous. <b>b’dhifa</b><i>  to think</i> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="158"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ebe-dhifam</b><i>  I will be thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ebe-dhifamu</b><i>  we will be thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ebe-dhifap</b><i>  you will be thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ebe-dhifapu</b><i>  you will be thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ebe-dhifath</b><i>  it will be thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ebe-dhifathu</b><i>  they will be thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ebe-dhifak</b><i>  it will be thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ebe-dhifaku</b><i>  they will be thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ebe-dhifaz</b><i>  he/it will be thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ebe-dhifazu</b><i>  they will be thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>ebe-dhifal</b><i>  she/it will be thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>ebe-dhifalu</b><i>  they will be thinking</i></td> </tr> </table> <h2>Past Tenses</h2> <h3>Simple Past</h3> The simple past tense is formed by adding the prefix <b>bo-</b> to the base noun stem and adding the personal endings.  The simple past is translated by the English simple past. <b>b’dhifa</b><i>  to think</i> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="158"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bo-dhifam</b><i>  I thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bo-dhifamu</b><i>  we thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bo-dhifap</b><i>  you thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bo-dhifapu</b><i>  you thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bo-dhifath</b><i>  it thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bo-dhifathu</b><i>  they thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bo-dhifak</b><i>  it thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bo-dhifaku</b><i>  they thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bo-dhifaz</b><i>  he/it thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bo-dhifazu</b><i>  they thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bo-dhifal</b><i>  she/it thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bo-dhifalu</b><i>  they thought</i></td> </tr> </table> <h3>Past Continuous</h3> The past continuous tense is formed by adding the prefix <b>obo-</b> to the base noun stem and adding the personal endings.  The past continuous is translated by the English past continuous. <b>b’dhifa</b><i>  to think</i> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="158"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>obo-dhifam</b><i>  I was thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>obo-dhifamu</b><i>  we were thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>obo-dhifap</b><i>  you were thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>obo-dhifapu</b><i>  you were thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>obo-dhifath</b><i>  it was thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>obo-dhifathu</b><i>  they were thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>obo-dhifak</b><i>  it was thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>obo-dhifaku</b><i>  they were thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>obo-dhifaz</b><i>  he/it was thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>obo-dhifazu</b><i>  they were thinking</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>obo-dhifal</b><i>  she/it was thinking</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>obo-dhifalu</b><i>  they were thinking</i></td> </tr> </table> <h3>Past Perfect</h3> The future continuous tense is formed by adding the prefix <b>ebe-</b> to the base noun stem and adding the personal endings.  The future continuous is translated by the English future continuous. <b>b’dhifa</b><i>  to think</i> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="158"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Singular</span></i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plural</span></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">I</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bobo-dhifam</b><i>  I have thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bobo-dhifamu</b><i>  we have thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">II</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bobo-dhifap</b><i>  you have thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bobo-dhifapu</b><i>  you have thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III a.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bobo-dhifath</b><i>  it has thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bobo-dhifathu</b><i>  they have thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III e.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bobo-dhifak</b><i>  it has thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bobo-dhifaku</b><i>  they have thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III f.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bobo-dhifaz</b><i>  he/it has thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bobo-dhifazu</b><i>  they have thought</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="64">III w.</td> <td valign="top" width="158"><b>bobo-dhifal</b><i>  she/it has thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="198"><b>bobo-dhifalu</b><i>  they have thought</i></td> </tr> </table> <h3>The verb b’ava ‘to be’</h3> The verb <b>b’ava</b> is completely regular based on the noun stem <b>ava</b><i>  being.</i> ba-avam, ba-avap, ba-avath, ba-avak, ba-avaz, ba-aval, ba-avamu, ba-avapu, ba-avathu, ba-avaku, ba-avazu, ba-avalu <b> </b> <h3>Verbal Short Forms</h3> In conversation and in poetry, the personal endings can be dropped where the subject is explicit. <blockquote><b>Djasu za ba-thavaz a-efath a-tha</b> <b>Djasu za ba-thava’ a-efath a-tha</b> The man speaks the truth</blockquote> <h1>Participles</h1> There are two kinds of participle, continuous (trad. “present”) and complete (trad. “past”).  They are formed similar to verbs in that they are based on a prefix affixed to the noun stem. <h2>Continuous Participles</h2> The continuous participle is formed by adding the <h2>Complete Participles</h2> <h1>Non-indicative Moods</h1> <h2>Subjunctive</h2> <h2>Imperative</h2> <h1>Prepositions</h1> <h2>Spatial</h2> <table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="160">Locational</td> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="160">Directional To</td> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="160">Directional From</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>ur</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>at</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>ul</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>to</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>um</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>from</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>er</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>in</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>el</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>into</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>em</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>out of</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>or</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>on</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>ol</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>onto</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>om</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>off of</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>ir</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>by/alongside</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>il</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>to alongside</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>im</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>from alongside</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>nur</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>under/beneath</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>nul</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>to under</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>num</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>from under</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>mer</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>between</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>mel</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>to inbetween</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>mem</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>from between</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>ar</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>agains</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>al</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>(to) against</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>am</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>from against</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>war</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>behind</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>wal</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>to behind</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>wam</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>from behind</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>lar</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>before/in front</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>lal</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>to the front</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>lam</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>from before</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>merer</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>throughout</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>merel</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>through</i></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><b>merem</b></td> <td valign="top" width="80"><i>from among</i></td> </tr> </table> <h2>Temporal</h2> <table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="82"><b>o</b></td> <td valign="top" width="104"><i>by (instrument)</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="82"><b>i</b></td> <td valign="top" width="104"><i>with (accompaniment)</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="82"><b>la</b></td> <td valign="top" width="104"><i>before</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="82"><b>wa</b></td> <td valign="top" width="104"><i>after</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="82"><b>merel</b></td> <td valign="top" width="104"><i>through(out)</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="82"><b>he</b></td> <td valign="top" width="104"><i>of</i></td> </tr> </table> <h1>Vocabulary</h1> <table width="496" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120">Entry</td> <td valign="top" width="61">Gender</td> <td valign="top" width="120">Meaning</td> <td valign="top" width="195">Notes</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>kadam</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>earth</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>kadmawe(hu)</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>person (people)</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b>-awe</b>, suff. = “-ite”, “-ling”, “of”</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>geto</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>thing</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>tung</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>way, path</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>alir</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">w</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>water</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>ethra</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>air</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>efath</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>truth</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>thava</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>word</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b>b’thava </b>= “to speak”</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>zazh</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">f</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>fire</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>djasu</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">f</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>male/man</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>noten</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>day</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>dhifa</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>thought</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>dang</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>work</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>dum</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>place</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>kedoten</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>year</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>hav</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>number</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>avath</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>name</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>genot</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>home</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>kid</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>line</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>hadh</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>sound</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>ganad</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>house</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>akkadam</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>world</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>dhifa-gnad</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>school</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195">lit, ‘though-house’</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>eth</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>sky</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>ethila</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>blue</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195">lit. ‘sky-color’</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>dhufah</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>storm</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>kogod</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>business, dealings</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>tega</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>run, course</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b>b’tega</b> = “to run”</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>kodang</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>making, creation</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b>b’kodang</b> = “to make”</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>shadja</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">f</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>sun</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>thuva</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">a</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>language</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>dju</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">f</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>son</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>lir</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">w</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>daughter</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>azh</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">f</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>father</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>illa</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">w</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>mother</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>kag</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">e</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>stone</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="120"><b>wal</b></td> <td valign="top" width="61">l</td> <td valign="top" width="120"><i>blood</i></td> <td valign="top" width="195"><b> </b></td> </tr> </table> <div> <hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" /> ==References and Notes== <references/> [[Category:Languages]] ecf47618ceb598553b320ac8d3b19def9f336e75 0 53 102 2014-03-16T18:19:15Z Schaef 3364594 Created page with "The Trade Tongue is the main lingua franca in the Lands Under the Sun and the language in which you are reading this article. The Trade Tongue is the language of Broadland on..." wikitext text/x-wiki The Trade Tongue is the main lingua franca in the Lands Under the Sun and the language in which you are reading this article. The Trade Tongue is the language of Broadland on the west coast of the Sunrise Lands and shares a common history with the language of Greatvale, though the Trade Tongue has been influenced by a number of languages of both close and distant relation and its vocabulary and grammar reflect this. The people of Greatvale can understand the Trade Tongue with some effort, while the peoples of Broadland find Greavalish overly complex and archaic. The Trade Tongue is of a different stock altogether from the Elder Tongue, though it often incorporates words from that language. Broadland speech, which continues to be known in that country as Brallanish, became the speech of the mercantile fleets that traveled up and down the western coast of the Sunrise Lands as Broadland merchant fleets became the trade conduit for goods from surrounding nations. Even after those fleets surrendered market dominance to the fleets of Greatvale, the Broadland tongue continued to be used among the ports of the west coast and even the Chain Islands. The Trade Tongue over time became the dominant language of merchant fleets, due to the fact that most merchant fleets drew sailors from different lands and it became a convenient common tongue. As it became the dominant tongue of merchant fleets, soon it was the dominant tongue used by those engaged in trade among the ports of the world. From there, it became the language of those who sought to benefit from trade, investments in trade, or other areas of commerce. It is a rare thing to travel to any port in the Lands Under the Sun and not to hear the Trade Tongue spoken. [[Category:Languages]] a4bcc1ab2d1ef6ba0f091901ca4565bdee39b3f0 0 54 103 2014-03-16T18:23:53Z Schaef 3364594 Created page with "The capital city of the [[Folkdeed of Greatvale]] and the center of Greatvalish civilization and culture. <h1>Founding</h1> In 5449 P.C., Wulfred selected the spot near the fa..." wikitext text/x-wiki The capital city of the [[Folkdeed of Greatvale]] and the center of Greatvalish civilization and culture. <h1>Founding</h1> In 5449 P.C., Wulfred selected the spot near the fall line of the Great Tidewater as a suitable spot for encampment as it was a natural spot for the construction of a mill.  The city is located right at the end of the tidal estuary and thus still has a deep channel allowing for larger, seagoing vessels to navigate up to the city.  Wulfred always intended that the new city function as a trading port in addition to providing a defensible home for his people. The initial settlement centered around a fortification atop Cynric's Hill known as the Burhfast, which became the main citadel of the new settlement.  It would be in that citadel that the king and his council of advisors (eventually known as the Ealdormoot) would come to be located. With the growth of the Kingdom of Greatvale in the first millenium P.C., King Godwine I decided that the king was in need of a larger, and more defensible fortress than the old Burhfast citadel.  In 922 P.C., Godwine constructed the Cynestol or the Royal Keep, a far more massive structure just to the east of the old Burhfast. Eventually, the Ealdormoot also took up residence in the Cynestol, not so much out of need as out of the king's desire to keep an eye on the council. After the [[Long Campaign]] and the abolition of the monarchy, the buildings of the [[Old Kingdom]] were repurposed.  The Ealdormoot once again took up residence in the Burhfast (now known as the Boroughfast) and the Cynestol was rechristened the Folk Keep.  In addition, the house of the king's first chancellor was given as the residence for those who would hold the newly established office of [[witeger]]. <h1>Fortification</h1> In 28 P.C., Rædgiver Fralin Fisceresdohtor ordered the construction of a second wall around the city.  This wall was to protect vital crops in the event of war or siege.  At the time, tensions were high with Carmadh and Broadland and fear of war was high.  Fralin understood that it was one thing to keep the citizens safely behind the walls but if the crops outside burned, ultimately hope was lost.  The city at that time was two miles across and the new walls added at least another seven square miles to the fortified territories of Folkhame.  The main city remained behind the original fortifications. <h1>Fire and Reconstruction</h1> Around 50 A.C., with the Folkdeed still reeling from the results of the Catastrophe, another catastrophe befell the people of Greatvale.  A major fire erupted in the old quarter of the city and quickly spread to the entire city.  The people fled into the surrounding farmland and the inner walls prevented the fire from spreading to the surrounding countryside.  When the conflagration was finally over, the majority of the city lay in ruins.  The Ealdormoot seriously considered whether it should move to the nearby town of Eoford and establish that as the capital of the Folkdeed.  But it was Rædgivers Leofwine of Brandwyck, Osgar of Middlebury, and Witeger Leafday Æledfyr, in a rare moment of concord, who declared that the fire had presented the people with an opportunity to rebuild the city in a way that reflected the values of the Folkdeed rather than the long cast-off monarchy. And so the inner walls of the city were torn down and the stone used to rebuild the city altogether.  The city plan was expanded to fill the space outlined by the outer walls. According to Leofwine, Osgar, and Leafday, this was an important statement that the people expected the city not to decline after the fire, but to flourish with an influx of new residents. The new plan was centered around the Boroughfast and the home of the Ealdormoot in the center.  The Boroughfast, which had long had a circular shape was placed at the center of a circle from which eight avenues radiated in a regular pattern.  The old Folk Keep, which had suffered extensive damage in the fire, was rebuilt but divided into two buildings along the main east-west avenue. The city was laid out in a regular (or mostly so) plan of grand avenues every mile, creating a grid with intersecting diagonals radiating from the Boroughfast. Diagonals were later added elsewhere in the city and circular parks placed at the intersections, which often feature statues of the heroes of the Folkdeed. <h1>Notable Features</h1> Among the notable buildings in the city center are: <strong>The Boroughfast</strong>.<strong> </strong>The old citadel fortress of the King, Queens, and Ealdormoot from the earliest days of the city. The building today houses the Ealdormoot and the Conclave of the Gaderungs when it meets. <strong>The Doomern</strong>. The high court of the Folkdeed.  Here the Ealdordemas (senior judges) of the Folkdeed review the decisions of local boroughdemas and make determinations on important matters of law. <strong>The Godshall</strong>. The five-sided building houses representatives of the five great religions of the Sunrise Lands.  The Godshall serves as an important gathering place in times of national crisis or remembrance.  The funerals of rædgivers, witegers, and ealdormen and -women almost always take place in the Godshall. <strong>The Folk Keep</strong>. The southern half of the old Folk Keep/Cynestol, this building houses the offices of the two rædgivers and their staffs. <strong>The Ambrighthouse. </strong>The Ambrighthouse is the northern half of the old Folk Keep/Cynestol and houses the various ministries of the Folkdeed government. <strong>Witeger's House. </strong>Although the current building was constructed new after the fire it was built on the site of the former edifice which had been the home of the royal chancellor in the days of the Old Kingdom.  The Witeger's house was infamously visited by the Ealdorweard during the time of [[Eadwin Lahwita]] when the rædgiver had given orders for her arrest.  Since that time, the military keeps a respectful distance from the Witeger's House and parades along Water Avenue are prohibited by long-standing custom. <strong>The Market</strong>. The market is the grand bazaar of the city and in the market place, a giant pavilion, one can find treasures from all over the world. <strong>The Waterfront. </strong>The waterfront along the Great Tidewater is the city's main port, fish market, and provides a series of defenses against those who might try to assault the city from the river. 0ff1aeec650d57551fa6545a65f49c994f6ef133 105 103 2014-03-16T18:27:57Z Schaef 3364594 wikitext text/x-wiki The capital city of the [[Folkdeed of Greatvale]] and the center of Greatvalish civilization and culture. <h1>Founding</h1> In 5449 P.C., Wulfred selected the spot near the fall line of the Great Tidewater as a suitable spot for encampment as it was a natural spot for the construction of a mill.  The city is located right at the end of the tidal estuary and thus still has a deep channel allowing for larger, seagoing vessels to navigate up to the city.  Wulfred always intended that the new city function as a trading port in addition to providing a defensible home for his people. [[File:Folkhame1.png]] The initial settlement centered around a fortification atop Cynric's Hill known as the Burhfast, which became the main citadel of the new settlement.  It would be in that citadel that the king and his council of advisors (eventually known as the Ealdormoot) would come to be located. With the growth of the Kingdom of Greatvale in the first millenium P.C., King Godwine I decided that the king was in need of a larger, and more defensible fortress than the old Burhfast citadel.  In 922 P.C., Godwine constructed the Cynestol or the Royal Keep, a far more massive structure just to the east of the old Burhfast. Eventually, the Ealdormoot also took up residence in the Cynestol, not so much out of need as out of the king's desire to keep an eye on the council. After the [[Long Campaign]] and the abolition of the monarchy, the buildings of the [[Old Kingdom]] were repurposed.  The Ealdormoot once again took up residence in the Burhfast (now known as the Boroughfast) and the Cynestol was rechristened the Folk Keep.  In addition, the house of the king's first chancellor was given as the residence for those who would hold the newly established office of [[witeger]]. <h1>Fortification</h1> In 28 P.C., Rædgiver Fralin Fisceresdohtor ordered the construction of a second wall around the city.  This wall was to protect vital crops in the event of war or siege.  At the time, tensions were high with Carmadh and Broadland and fear of war was high.  Fralin understood that it was one thing to keep the citizens safely behind the walls but if the crops outside burned, ultimately hope was lost.  The city at that time was two miles across and the new walls added at least another seven square miles to the fortified territories of Folkhame.  The main city remained behind the original fortifications. <h1>Fire and Reconstruction</h1> Around 50 A.C., with the Folkdeed still reeling from the results of the Catastrophe, another catastrophe befell the people of Greatvale.  A major fire erupted in the old quarter of the city and quickly spread to the entire city.  The people fled into the surrounding farmland and the inner walls prevented the fire from spreading to the surrounding countryside.  When the conflagration was finally over, the majority of the city lay in ruins.  The Ealdormoot seriously considered whether it should move to the nearby town of Eoford and establish that as the capital of the Folkdeed.  But it was Rædgivers Leofwine of Brandwyck, Osgar of Middlebury, and Witeger Leafday Æledfyr, in a rare moment of concord, who declared that the fire had presented the people with an opportunity to rebuild the city in a way that reflected the values of the Folkdeed rather than the long cast-off monarchy. And so the inner walls of the city were torn down and the stone used to rebuild the city altogether.  The city plan was expanded to fill the space outlined by the outer walls. According to Leofwine, Osgar, and Leafday, this was an important statement that the people expected the city not to decline after the fire, but to flourish with an influx of new residents. The new plan was centered around the Boroughfast and the home of the Ealdormoot in the center.  The Boroughfast, which had long had a circular shape was placed at the center of a circle from which eight avenues radiated in a regular pattern.  The old Folk Keep, which had suffered extensive damage in the fire, was rebuilt but divided into two buildings along the main east-west avenue. The city was laid out in a regular (or mostly so) plan of grand avenues every mile, creating a grid with intersecting diagonals radiating from the Boroughfast. Diagonals were later added elsewhere in the city and circular parks placed at the intersections, which often feature statues of the heroes of the Folkdeed. <h1>Notable Features</h1> Among the notable buildings in the city center are: <strong>The Boroughfast</strong>.<strong> </strong>The old citadel fortress of the King, Queens, and Ealdormoot from the earliest days of the city. The building today houses the Ealdormoot and the Conclave of the Gaderungs when it meets. <strong>The Doomern</strong>. The high court of the Folkdeed.  Here the Ealdordemas (senior judges) of the Folkdeed review the decisions of local boroughdemas and make determinations on important matters of law. <strong>The Godshall</strong>. The five-sided building houses representatives of the five great religions of the Sunrise Lands.  The Godshall serves as an important gathering place in times of national crisis or remembrance.  The funerals of rædgivers, witegers, and ealdormen and -women almost always take place in the Godshall. <strong>The Folk Keep</strong>. The southern half of the old Folk Keep/Cynestol, this building houses the offices of the two rædgivers and their staffs. <strong>The Ambrighthouse. </strong>The Ambrighthouse is the northern half of the old Folk Keep/Cynestol and houses the various ministries of the Folkdeed government. <strong>Witeger's House. </strong>Although the current building was constructed new after the fire it was built on the site of the former edifice which had been the home of the royal chancellor in the days of the Old Kingdom.  The Witeger's house was infamously visited by the Ealdorweard during the time of [[Eadwin Lahwita]] when the rædgiver had given orders for her arrest.  Since that time, the military keeps a respectful distance from the Witeger's House and parades along Water Avenue are prohibited by long-standing custom. <strong>The Market</strong>. The market is the grand bazaar of the city and in the market place, a giant pavilion, one can find treasures from all over the world. <strong>The Waterfront. </strong>The waterfront along the Great Tidewater is the city's main port, fish market, and provides a series of defenses against those who might try to assault the city from the river. [[Category:Places]] 8fe4ad513eaa4377ce7668e27326c7813611875f 106 105 2014-03-16T18:28:46Z Schaef 3364594 wikitext text/x-wiki The capital city of the [[Folkdeed of Greatvale]] and the center of Greatvalish civilization and culture. <h1>Founding</h1> In 5449 P.C., Wulfred selected the spot near the fall line of the Great Tidewater as a suitable spot for encampment as it was a natural spot for the construction of a mill.  The city is located right at the end of the tidal estuary and thus still has a deep channel allowing for larger, seagoing vessels to navigate up to the city.  Wulfred always intended that the new city function as a trading port in addition to providing a defensible home for his people. [[File:Folkhame1.png|200px|thumb|left|alt text]] The initial settlement centered around a fortification atop Cynric's Hill known as the Burhfast, which became the main citadel of the new settlement.  It would be in that citadel that the king and his council of advisors (eventually known as the Ealdormoot) would come to be located. With the growth of the Kingdom of Greatvale in the first millenium P.C., King Godwine I decided that the king was in need of a larger, and more defensible fortress than the old Burhfast citadel.  In 922 P.C., Godwine constructed the Cynestol or the Royal Keep, a far more massive structure just to the east of the old Burhfast. Eventually, the Ealdormoot also took up residence in the Cynestol, not so much out of need as out of the king's desire to keep an eye on the council. After the [[Long Campaign]] and the abolition of the monarchy, the buildings of the [[Old Kingdom]] were repurposed.  The Ealdormoot once again took up residence in the Burhfast (now known as the Boroughfast) and the Cynestol was rechristened the Folk Keep.  In addition, the house of the king's first chancellor was given as the residence for those who would hold the newly established office of [[witeger]]. <h1>Fortification</h1> In 28 P.C., Rædgiver Fralin Fisceresdohtor ordered the construction of a second wall around the city.  This wall was to protect vital crops in the event of war or siege.  At the time, tensions were high with Carmadh and Broadland and fear of war was high.  Fralin understood that it was one thing to keep the citizens safely behind the walls but if the crops outside burned, ultimately hope was lost.  The city at that time was two miles across and the new walls added at least another seven square miles to the fortified territories of Folkhame.  The main city remained behind the original fortifications. <h1>Fire and Reconstruction</h1> Around 50 A.C., with the Folkdeed still reeling from the results of the Catastrophe, another catastrophe befell the people of Greatvale.  A major fire erupted in the old quarter of the city and quickly spread to the entire city.  The people fled into the surrounding farmland and the inner walls prevented the fire from spreading to the surrounding countryside.  When the conflagration was finally over, the majority of the city lay in ruins.  The Ealdormoot seriously considered whether it should move to the nearby town of Eoford and establish that as the capital of the Folkdeed.  But it was Rædgivers Leofwine of Brandwyck, Osgar of Middlebury, and Witeger Leafday Æledfyr, in a rare moment of concord, who declared that the fire had presented the people with an opportunity to rebuild the city in a way that reflected the values of the Folkdeed rather than the long cast-off monarchy. And so the inner walls of the city were torn down and the stone used to rebuild the city altogether.  The city plan was expanded to fill the space outlined by the outer walls. According to Leofwine, Osgar, and Leafday, this was an important statement that the people expected the city not to decline after the fire, but to flourish with an influx of new residents. The new plan was centered around the Boroughfast and the home of the Ealdormoot in the center.  The Boroughfast, which had long had a circular shape was placed at the center of a circle from which eight avenues radiated in a regular pattern.  The old Folk Keep, which had suffered extensive damage in the fire, was rebuilt but divided into two buildings along the main east-west avenue. The city was laid out in a regular (or mostly so) plan of grand avenues every mile, creating a grid with intersecting diagonals radiating from the Boroughfast. Diagonals were later added elsewhere in the city and circular parks placed at the intersections, which often feature statues of the heroes of the Folkdeed. <h1>Notable Features</h1> Among the notable buildings in the city center are: <strong>The Boroughfast</strong>.<strong> </strong>The old citadel fortress of the King, Queens, and Ealdormoot from the earliest days of the city. The building today houses the Ealdormoot and the Conclave of the Gaderungs when it meets. <strong>The Doomern</strong>. The high court of the Folkdeed.  Here the Ealdordemas (senior judges) of the Folkdeed review the decisions of local boroughdemas and make determinations on important matters of law. <strong>The Godshall</strong>. The five-sided building houses representatives of the five great religions of the Sunrise Lands.  The Godshall serves as an important gathering place in times of national crisis or remembrance.  The funerals of rædgivers, witegers, and ealdormen and -women almost always take place in the Godshall. <strong>The Folk Keep</strong>. The southern half of the old Folk Keep/Cynestol, this building houses the offices of the two rædgivers and their staffs. <strong>The Ambrighthouse. </strong>The Ambrighthouse is the northern half of the old Folk Keep/Cynestol and houses the various ministries of the Folkdeed government. <strong>Witeger's House. </strong>Although the current building was constructed new after the fire it was built on the site of the former edifice which had been the home of the royal chancellor in the days of the Old Kingdom.  The Witeger's house was infamously visited by the Ealdorweard during the time of [[Eadwin Lahwita]] when the rædgiver had given orders for her arrest.  Since that time, the military keeps a respectful distance from the Witeger's House and parades along Water Avenue are prohibited by long-standing custom. <strong>The Market</strong>. The market is the grand bazaar of the city and in the market place, a giant pavilion, one can find treasures from all over the world. <strong>The Waterfront. </strong>The waterfront along the Great Tidewater is the city's main port, fish market, and provides a series of defenses against those who might try to assault the city from the river. [[Category:Places]] d3e9557614204c1f574c2a83e578972e24493752 107 106 2014-03-16T18:29:12Z Schaef 3364594 wikitext text/x-wiki The capital city of the [[Folkdeed of Greatvale]] and the center of Greatvalish civilization and culture. <h1>Founding</h1> In 5449 P.C., Wulfred selected the spot near the fall line of the Great Tidewater as a suitable spot for encampment as it was a natural spot for the construction of a mill.  The city is located right at the end of the tidal estuary and thus still has a deep channel allowing for larger, seagoing vessels to navigate up to the city.  Wulfred always intended that the new city function as a trading port in addition to providing a defensible home for his people. [[File:Folkhame1.png|200px|thumb|right|The City of Folkhame]] The initial settlement centered around a fortification atop Cynric's Hill known as the Burhfast, which became the main citadel of the new settlement.  It would be in that citadel that the king and his council of advisors (eventually known as the Ealdormoot) would come to be located. With the growth of the Kingdom of Greatvale in the first millenium P.C., King Godwine I decided that the king was in need of a larger, and more defensible fortress than the old Burhfast citadel.  In 922 P.C., Godwine constructed the Cynestol or the Royal Keep, a far more massive structure just to the east of the old Burhfast. Eventually, the Ealdormoot also took up residence in the Cynestol, not so much out of need as out of the king's desire to keep an eye on the council. After the [[Long Campaign]] and the abolition of the monarchy, the buildings of the [[Old Kingdom]] were repurposed.  The Ealdormoot once again took up residence in the Burhfast (now known as the Boroughfast) and the Cynestol was rechristened the Folk Keep.  In addition, the house of the king's first chancellor was given as the residence for those who would hold the newly established office of [[witeger]]. <h1>Fortification</h1> In 28 P.C., Rædgiver Fralin Fisceresdohtor ordered the construction of a second wall around the city.  This wall was to protect vital crops in the event of war or siege.  At the time, tensions were high with Carmadh and Broadland and fear of war was high.  Fralin understood that it was one thing to keep the citizens safely behind the walls but if the crops outside burned, ultimately hope was lost.  The city at that time was two miles across and the new walls added at least another seven square miles to the fortified territories of Folkhame.  The main city remained behind the original fortifications. <h1>Fire and Reconstruction</h1> Around 50 A.C., with the Folkdeed still reeling from the results of the Catastrophe, another catastrophe befell the people of Greatvale.  A major fire erupted in the old quarter of the city and quickly spread to the entire city.  The people fled into the surrounding farmland and the inner walls prevented the fire from spreading to the surrounding countryside.  When the conflagration was finally over, the majority of the city lay in ruins.  The Ealdormoot seriously considered whether it should move to the nearby town of Eoford and establish that as the capital of the Folkdeed.  But it was Rædgivers Leofwine of Brandwyck, Osgar of Middlebury, and Witeger Leafday Æledfyr, in a rare moment of concord, who declared that the fire had presented the people with an opportunity to rebuild the city in a way that reflected the values of the Folkdeed rather than the long cast-off monarchy. And so the inner walls of the city were torn down and the stone used to rebuild the city altogether.  The city plan was expanded to fill the space outlined by the outer walls. According to Leofwine, Osgar, and Leafday, this was an important statement that the people expected the city not to decline after the fire, but to flourish with an influx of new residents. The new plan was centered around the Boroughfast and the home of the Ealdormoot in the center.  The Boroughfast, which had long had a circular shape was placed at the center of a circle from which eight avenues radiated in a regular pattern.  The old Folk Keep, which had suffered extensive damage in the fire, was rebuilt but divided into two buildings along the main east-west avenue. The city was laid out in a regular (or mostly so) plan of grand avenues every mile, creating a grid with intersecting diagonals radiating from the Boroughfast. Diagonals were later added elsewhere in the city and circular parks placed at the intersections, which often feature statues of the heroes of the Folkdeed. <h1>Notable Features</h1> Among the notable buildings in the city center are: <strong>The Boroughfast</strong>.<strong> </strong>The old citadel fortress of the King, Queens, and Ealdormoot from the earliest days of the city. The building today houses the Ealdormoot and the Conclave of the Gaderungs when it meets. <strong>The Doomern</strong>. The high court of the Folkdeed.  Here the Ealdordemas (senior judges) of the Folkdeed review the decisions of local boroughdemas and make determinations on important matters of law. <strong>The Godshall</strong>. The five-sided building houses representatives of the five great religions of the Sunrise Lands.  The Godshall serves as an important gathering place in times of national crisis or remembrance.  The funerals of rædgivers, witegers, and ealdormen and -women almost always take place in the Godshall. <strong>The Folk Keep</strong>. The southern half of the old Folk Keep/Cynestol, this building houses the offices of the two rædgivers and their staffs. <strong>The Ambrighthouse. </strong>The Ambrighthouse is the northern half of the old Folk Keep/Cynestol and houses the various ministries of the Folkdeed government. <strong>Witeger's House. </strong>Although the current building was constructed new after the fire it was built on the site of the former edifice which had been the home of the royal chancellor in the days of the Old Kingdom.  The Witeger's house was infamously visited by the Ealdorweard during the time of [[Eadwin Lahwita]] when the rædgiver had given orders for her arrest.  Since that time, the military keeps a respectful distance from the Witeger's House and parades along Water Avenue are prohibited by long-standing custom. <strong>The Market</strong>. The market is the grand bazaar of the city and in the market place, a giant pavilion, one can find treasures from all over the world. <strong>The Waterfront. </strong>The waterfront along the Great Tidewater is the city's main port, fish market, and provides a series of defenses against those who might try to assault the city from the river. [[Category:Places]] 6c6792c712d93666bac20eab4c87b311de16d9d0 6 55 104 2014-03-16T18:25:49Z Schaef 3364594 A map of the city of Folkhame. wikitext text/x-wiki A map of the city of Folkhame. 84c1ecaa16f1cdeca8d00a71310754cb6daaa793 6 56 108 2014-03-16T18:32:25Z Schaef 3364594 wikitext text/x-wiki da39a3ee5e6b4b0d3255bfef95601890afd80709 6 57 109 2014-03-16T18:32:25Z Schaef 3364594 wikitext text/x-wiki da39a3ee5e6b4b0d3255bfef95601890afd80709 6 58 110 2014-03-16T18:32:25Z Schaef 3364594 wikitext text/x-wiki da39a3ee5e6b4b0d3255bfef95601890afd80709 6 59 111 2014-03-16T18:32:25Z Schaef 3364594 wikitext text/x-wiki da39a3ee5e6b4b0d3255bfef95601890afd80709 6 60 112 2014-03-16T18:32:26Z Schaef 3364594 wikitext text/x-wiki da39a3ee5e6b4b0d3255bfef95601890afd80709 6 61 113 2014-03-16T18:32:26Z Schaef 3364594 wikitext text/x-wiki da39a3ee5e6b4b0d3255bfef95601890afd80709 6 62 114 2014-03-16T18:32:26Z Schaef 3364594 wikitext text/x-wiki da39a3ee5e6b4b0d3255bfef95601890afd80709 6 63 115 2014-03-16T18:32:26Z Schaef 3364594 wikitext text/x-wiki da39a3ee5e6b4b0d3255bfef95601890afd80709 6 64 116 2014-03-16T18:32:26Z Schaef 3364594 wikitext text/x-wiki da39a3ee5e6b4b0d3255bfef95601890afd80709 0 48 129 128 2014-03-16T18:40:18Z Schaef 3364594 /* The Intervention (113-112 PC) */ wikitext text/x-wiki The Long Campaign is the name given to the nine-year long civil war that removed the Last King of [[Greatvale]] and established the republic known as the [[Folkdeed of Greatvale]]. ==Background== In the year 120 PC, Archon Zajjasu of Carmadh celebrated the tenth year of his reign with a hunting party.  This hunting party attracted some of the great nobles and leaders of the western Sunrise Lands. Notably absent from the invitation was King Godwine III Beorncyning of Greatvale, though few were surprised by this, as relations between Carmadh and Greatvale were cool at the time. Zajjasu took his hunting party along the western side of the Kiting Mountains, the name by which Carmadh refers to the Westvale Mountains.  Toward the end of the expedition, Zajjasu led his party into the Deepwood, the forest to the south of the Westvale Mountains that marks the boundary between Carmadh and Greatvale. Although at this time the border had never been firmly established between the two realms, the woods were considered something of a “neutral zone” between the kingdoms, available for ordinary use by the people, but off limits for military or commercial use. When Godwine became aware of Zajjasu’s party’s presence in the Deepwood, the slight of his non-invitation became insult.  He declared that Carmadh’s presence in the Deepwood was an affront to all of Greatvale and especially to the honor of his house. To announce his response, he spoke before the Ealdormoot, many of whom were skeptical, but since Godwine merely convened the gathering to declare his intention rather than seek their counsel, their opinions were largely irrelevant. This followed a long pattern of erratic behavior on the part of Godwine and his increasing indifference toward the opinions of the nobles and aristocrats who made up the Ealdormoot. On the first day of [[Lenctenmath]] 118 PC, Godwine led a great host out from Folkhame toward the Deepwood to engage Zajjasu and to secure the Deepwood once and for all as Greatvale territory. On the way west, the army camped outside the town of Oxbridge, near the farm of Swithin Sceaphyrd, a commoner landholder.  During the encampment, the men of Godwine’s host resupplied themselves with the produce of Sceaphyrd’s farm, slaughtered his flocks, and at one point, seized his daughters for the “comfort” of the troops.  Sceaphyrd pleaded to the king for justice for his daughters and restitution for his lost crops and livestock.  The king rejected Sceaphyrd’s plea and sent him away. The king was reported to have said, “The problems of peasants are nothing when the honor of kings is at stake.” Devastated, Sceaphyrd went to the Boroughmoot of Oxbridge and requested their aid.  The Boroughmoot authorized their Ealdorman, Hrothgar of Wildewood, himself a cousin to Godwine, to petition the King for mercy through the Ealdormoot. Ealdor Hrothgar was in Oxbridge at the time and agreed to speak to his cousin for restitution and return of the girls. When Hrothgar appeared before the king, Godwine became so incensed that his judgment was being questioned, by his kin and his subjects, that he had Hrothgar arrested as a traitor and bound in irons.  He then dispatched a legion to raze Oxbridge to the ground as a “town in rebellion.” Swithun Sceaphyrd and his family were all executed as sympathizers to the Carmadh cause, though it is sometimes believed that one of his daughters escaped.  Every member of the Boroughmoot was nailed to the walls of Oxbridge before they were set on fire. ==Leofric’s Rebellion== Leofric of Brandwyck, a Hundredman in Godwine’s army was witness to the razing of Oxbridge as he rode with some of his officers on sentry around the camp.  Having become convinced that the king, after a long history of erratic behavior, had in fact gone mad, he and his officers rode as fast as they could back to Folkhame with news of the destruction of Oxbridge. The Ealdormoot was greatly distressed to hear the news, but opted to take no action—half of the members were either kin or appointees of the king. Many even criticized Leofric for raising the matter during a time of national crisis, a crisis, Leofric noted, that had been started by this same mad king. Leofric took the curious, and at the time, novel action of resigning his commission to the Ealdormoot rather than to the king, saying that his honor as a soldier would not allow him to continue to serve a king who was enemy to his own subjects.  He would not speak on behalf of his officers, but all of them followed suit and resigned before the Ealdormoot. Leofric and his officers rode north headed toward Brandwyck.  En route they were intercepted by a rider who bore a surprising message: a number of the Ealdormen and -women shared Leofric’s concerns about the king and wished to meet with him.  A day later, in a back room at the Fly &amp; Eel Inn, Leofric and his men met with Æthelræd of Whitshollow, Frithuswith of Northmarch, and Hereweald of Eoford. The members of the Ealdormoot told Leofric that they had had some concerns about the king for some time, noting that his edicts had grown more and more erratic and that this entire venture against Carmadh was forced down the Ealdormoot’s throat.  As the conversation went late into the night, the list of the king’s follies and crimes grew longer and longer as the Ealdors shared what they knew.  At each report, Leofric became more and more disturbed and agitated. Finally, Æthelræd stated bluntly, “The king is insane,” to which Leofric famously replied: S<em>e cyning is ne wodseoc; cyningscipe biđ wodseoc</em> - ”The king is not insane; king<em>ship </em>is insane.” He went on to note the injustices perpetrated by practically every king after King Cynric I, even the kings they considered “good”, and noted that it was the entire structure that bred this kind of evil.  Some of his officers shared stories of horrors from neighboring realms.  And every once in a while one of the company would simply utter: “The king is not insane; kingship is insane.” As they paused at one point, simply to reflect on what had been said, Frithuswith sat forward in her chair and asked: “Who is Greatvale for, in the end? The King or the people?” Leofric stood and announced his intention to continue his ride north and there to rally the people to declare a free state independent of the crown. The Ealdors agreed that they would return to Folkhame to try to discern how many of the Ealdormoot would support such action. Leofric rode north to Brandwyck and shared with the Boroughmoot what had taken place in Oxbridge and the other reports of the king’s misdeeds. The Boroughmoot reacted with horror but were reluctant to take action. “What course do we have available to us?” one member reportedly asked. “Shall we set up for ourselves a king in the north against whom some later valiant son will have to rebel?” Leofric replied, “There will be no king in the north, and if the fates are with us, there will be no king in the south. Our task is to create a work of the people, a <em>folkdeed</em>.” The Boroughmoot affirmed the idea and on the 12th day of Blostmath 118 PC, the free and independent Folkdeed of Northvale was declared.  Leofric was offered the post of Lord Protector but declined, arguing that he could better support the new state as a general and pleaded with the Boroughmoot to govern as a council.  In later years, Leofric is reported to have said, “Had I taken the office, even though it have a different title, I would have been a king; and I had seen enough of kingship to know that I was not strong enough a man to resist its corruptions.” Leofric went to the neighboring estates and holdfasts, personally appealing for support. It was said that such was Leofric’s passion, valor, and charm that he often persuaded people within the first minutes of his conversation with them.  Within a month the whole of the Northvale and the Northmarch had allied themselves with the fledgling state in Brandwyck.  Leofric proved an impressive commander and within a few weeks had established defenses for the new realm that were the rival of anything the Kingdom had ever produced. ==The Campaign== ===The King’s March (118-116 PC)=== When King Godwine was told of what had happened in Brandwyck he was outraged.  He quickly broke camp and returned to Folkhame with his entire army, save a couple of legions to guard the frontier, which he still believed was about to be invaded by Carmadh. When he arrived in Folkhame, he disbanded the Ealdormoot and placed many of the members under house arrest. Godwine believed that Brandwyck could never have done what it did without either aid or encouragement from the Ealdormoot and set out to determine who in the council had betrayed him. [[File:lc1.png|200px|thumb|right|The King's March]] While the Kingdom of Greatvale had never been anything remotely resembling a participatory democracy, the Ealdormoot had long been a respected advisory body, and helped the nobles to feel involved in the kingdom and giving them a sense of ownership.  Now, those same nobles were being rounded up and imprisoned by the king and his agents.  Æthelræd of Whitshollow was thrown into a dungeon and eventually died under torture.  Frithuswith of Northmarch and Hereweald of Eoford were able to escape Folkhame and were taken north by agents of Leofric. Godwine’s measures in Folkhame were brutal and achieved a measure of success; all dissension was quelled in the capital and when the Ealdormoot was eventually reconvened, it declared all of Godwine’s actions to be legal and necessary in defense of the realm.  They declared the Northvale and Northmarch as territories in rebellion and as traitors deserving of death. Any member of the Ealdormoot who was not in attendance or who would not sign a proxy letter was declared anathema and placed under an order of condemnation. Godwine dismissed Folkhome’s boroughmoot and left a governor in charge of the city. Feeling that the situation in Folkhame had been stabilized, he took his army north into the surrounding countryside to root out rebel sympathizers. There was no method to the king’s effort to root out enemies of the crown.  At times he appeared to select targets on a whim, burning down farms and even entire villages because he <em>knew</em> they had to be part of this rebellion. For two years, Godwine’s army terrorized the central valley on either side of the Great Tidewater. Entreaties by the Ealdormoot to return to Folkhome and take his place on the throne were ignored. In all this time, Godwine made not one attempt to enter the lands that had declared independence.  All of his activity took place on land that was considered to be loyal. Over the course of the King’s March, it is believed that some 30,000 Greatvalers died at the hands of the king’s army. ===The Siege of the North (116-114 PC)=== Having been satisfied that the lands behind him were now free of treason, Godwine set his eyes on the north country.  In Sonnemath of 116, he led his host north along the Great Tidewater toward Brandwyck.  Leofric had by this time erected fortifications all along the ridge line, preserving the high vale territories, on which much grain could be grown, but also the mills of the the upper Tidewater.  Had Godwine marched north immediately, rather than needlessly terrorizing the southern and central countryside, he would have caught the Folkdeed in a much more disadvantaged state. [[File:lc.png|200px|thumb|right|Leofric's fortifications]] As it was, the king’s host was prevented from moving further up the valley; the fortifications were sufficient to hold Godwine’s advance but not to drive it back completely.  One of the great strengths of the Kingdom of Greatvale is that the entire geography is something of a fortress. The mountain that surround the valley are exceptionally difficult to cross in great numbers and the safe passes are few.  Godwine decided to use this to his advantage.  He decided to lay siege to Northvale and starve them out. He dispatched two legions to secure the passes to the north and northeast of the vale. In one case, he illegally sent troops over foreign soil to block the pass from the back end. [[File:lc2.png|200px|thumb|right|Siege of the North]] Leofric dispatched as many forces as he could to defend the passes from incursion, but knew he did not have enough strength to dislodge the king’s troops and maintain the defenses along his southern fortifications.  The Brandwyck boroughmoot established programs to store food as best as possible. Great storehouses were constructed for grain. A woman named Hilda, widow to Eadmund Fiscere, led a band of people north into the mountains to carve out great chunks of ice and bring them down into the vale by sledge. They placed these large pieces of ice in the ground and built structures over them.  These “Hilda’s Iceboxes” became huge storage centers for fish from Lake Sworetunga  and other perishable produce of the region. Initially, people were asked to sacrifice a meal a day to save on food and then two; by the end of the siege, these conditions would be considered feasting. The winter of 116-115 PC was relatively mild with a late fall and an early spring. Food production was diminished but was still able to provide for the people of Northvale.  The winter of 115-114 PC was brutal and early frosts were hard on fruit trees.  The depth of the ice on Lake Sworetunga made fishing difficult and the yields of fish were much lower that year.  In addition, Godwine sent raiding parties across the frontier to set fire to fields just before harvest, devastating entire communities.  This, in turn, led to the development of the Folkeored, a mounted regiment who could patrol the farmlands and respond quickly to any reports of firing of fields.  The Folkeored was ultimately able to capture or kill most of those who came on raiding parties but not before those parties exacted a heavy toll. ===Rebellion in the South (114 – 113 PC)=== Ultimately, the rescue of the north did not come from Leofric’s armies or the Folkeored, but from the peoples of the south.  The siege on Northvale had had disastrous effects on the economies of the south, especially the trading and merchant fleets of Fralin’s Deep.  By the second century P.C., Greatvale had established itself as a seagoing, mercantile power in the region.  There was a high demand for the quality linen and much of the produce of the northern vale.  Godwine’s siege of the north had prevented any goods from leaving and the commercial interests of the south were suffering the effects.  The southern merchants had petitioned the king repeatedly through the Ealdormoot, but as with everything else, those petitions went unheeded.  As the siege dragged on, rumblings in the south that the king was no longer a protector of the realm but a maniac bent on punishment of those who defied him began to increase.  The horrors of the King’s March were now becoming more and more well-known as reports of the king’s indiscriminate justice began to travel the realm. [[File:lc3.png|200px|thumb|right|The southern rebellion]] In Regenmath of 114, the boroughmoot of Fiscerehæfen declared itself independent of the crown even going so far as to declare themselves to be the <em>folkdeed </em>of Fiscerehæfen. Seven other coastal cities followed suit and before long were calling themselves the Folkdeed of Southvale. Town militias and other companies of volunteers were hastily put together and marched north to secure important roads and trade routes. One company marched into Wulfred’s Byland to secure important grain resources. When word of the southern rebellion reached Godwine in the north, he immediately pulled his forces back and marched on Folkhame. His advance was slowed by muddy roads and ironically by the lack of provisions in the central valley due to his harsh campaigning there two years before. By the time Godwine reached Folkhame, the city had lost half its population to flight.  Tens of thousands streamed south into the lands of the Southvale Folkdeed. The governor whom Godwine had placed in charge of Folkhome after disbanding the city’s boroughmoot, ruled with an excessively heavy hand in an effort to quell any dissent. When Godwine got to Folkhame, he found it essentially plundered, as the city’s residents had taken everything of value they could, the most valuable thing being themselves as the city’s workforce.  Godwine executed his governor for incompetence and immediately dispatched his soldiers around the city to shore up the defenses and attain provision. Godwine was still under the impression that his force was the strongest, and in strictly speaking numeric terms this may have been the case. But by this time, after four years of war that had done little to quell the northern rebellion and had succeeded in igniting a southern one, many in the royal army were demoralized.  In fact, so intent had Godwine been on quelling dissent in the broader population, that he had ignored the rising levels of dissatisfaction in his own forces.  In Hærfestmath of 114 PC, Osbeorn Swordsmith, a commander in the royal host, simply marched his legions out of the gates of Folkhame and defected en masse to the southern cause.  Osbeorn was a nobleman of a long-established house that prized honor, and like Leofric before him, decided that his honor would not allow him to serve a king who had become his subjects’ enemy.  According to the reports, took his legions outside the gates, stood before them and announced, “We are marching south to join in the defense of the southern lands from this monster of a king.  Any man who wishes to stay may do so without penalty.” According to those same reports, not a single soldier left.  Many have speculated as to why Osbeorn did not simply command his legions to take control of Folkhame itself and become king. Speculation has long focused on whether Osbeorn had the numbers to accomplish this task and has largely ignored the reality that to someone of Osbeorn’s background, such a betrayal would never have been honorable, whereas riding to the defense of an oppressed population (and one in sore need of experienced military leadership) was honorable.  One apocryphal report states that as they rode south, one of Osbeorn’s captains said to him, “The king truly is insane,” whereupon Osbeorn is said to have replied, “The king is not insane, kingship is insane.” ===The Intervention (113-112 PC)=== The ongoing crisis in Greatvale eventually became one of tremendous concern to the surrounding realms.  Godwine himself had never been popular and initially the rebellion brought comfort to some of the other powers in the region, especially to Zajjasu of Carmadh.  But as the conflict wore on, it became clear that the <em>nature </em>of the rebellion was a bigger threat than Godwine himself had ever been.  Two dissident realms had established themselves in the north and south of Greatvale and neither one had proclaimed a king. In fact, they had both declared themselves to be intentionally free of a king.  Fearing the political instability this might bring about in their own realms, the surrounding powers all sent expeditionary forces into Greatvale to shore up Godwine and help to quell the rebellions. [[File:lc4.png|200px|thumb|right|The foreign intervention]] Initially, southern forces were taken aback by the foreign intervention, and heavy losses were suffered in the initial encounters, particularly in Wulfred’s Byland and in the south-east marches below the Eastvale Mountains.  However, Osbeorn led a force into the Byland and met Zajjasu’s forces at the edge of the Deepwood.  Osbeorn’s army routed Zajjasu completely and by the end of the engagement had secured the entirety of the Deepwood under southern control.  Some have speculated that Osbeorn took the Deepwood as an insult to Godwine who had precipitated the entire crisis when he had set out to do so five years earlier. In the north, Leofric sent a host to engage an army attempting to invade through the Upgang Pass. Leofric sent a local militia commander named Weland who had impressed Leofric with his skill.  Weland was also from near the pass and his knowledge of the pass helped him to defeat a force that outnumbered his two-to-one. Leofric himself took a great army and marched south toward Folkhame.  Godwine had foolishly believed that the intervention was turning the tide and so had sent two armies out of Folkhame to retake the south and west vales.  A separate force from Brandwyck intercepted Godwine’s western host and fought a battle there that, while not decisive, did cause the force to retreat back to Folkhame.  A second royalist force traveled along the Tidewater but was constantly harassed by southern forces as they made their way south and were never able to meet up with the interventionist forces as had been hoped.  In fact, the intervention only served to stoke the fires of rebellion among the towns and cities of Greatvale, for now it was clear that Godwine was in league with Greatvale's enemies.  And while most were wise enough to realize that the foreign powers were doing this to advance their own interests, the symbolism of their king fighting alongside foreign forces to oppress his own people was too powerful to ignore and served to galvanize the entire rebellion. On the 10th day of [[Midmath]] 112 PC, Godwine took his remaining forces from Folkhame and marched north to meet Leofric’s host that had been traveling south along the east shore of the Tidewater. ===Campaign’s End (111-110 PC)=== On the 15th day of Regenmath 111 PC, Godwine’s armies engaged Leofric’s host at the north ford of the Tidewater.  In a battle that lasted two days, Leofric defeated Godwine who took his army and fled west to the Westvale Mountains.  Leofric followed in pursuit, stopping only to establish a garrison at Folkhame.  Leofric left strict instruction that no one was to be harmed in the city, that the boroughmoot was to be restored to power and that the provision of the people’s material need should be a priority.  What few members of the Ealdormoot who remained convened at the same time and disavowed all the decrees against Leofric and Osbeorn that they had issued under Godwine’s direction. Leofric continued west in pursuit of Godwine only to encounter another royalist force in the midvale. This force had been the one previously sent west and defeated by another northern army the previous year. This army was utterly destroyed.  Most of the soldiers fled dropping their weapons and casting off what armor they had as they ran.  Those who remained to fight were vastly outmatched by a better led army, and one with a far higher morale.  In fact, many of the residents of the region, remembering the King’s March, joined with Leofric’s forces as the battle raged or served as pickets around the battlefield, capturing fleeing royalist soldiers. In the end, Leofric continued his march west with surprisingly few casualties. At the base of the Heofodbend Mountain, he was joined by the northern host and by Osbeorn’s army, returned from the Deepwood, minus a border garrison. Godwine had entrenched himself up the mountain at the Crown’s Keep and been joined by the remnants of another royalist host that had been sent into the south without success. Leofric and Osbeorn longed for war to be over, but they knew that an assault on the keep would be a disaster and would cost thousands of men.  The forces of north and south began to lay siege on the keep. By Cyrtenmath, the siege was entering its sixth month without an end in sight.  Leofric and Osbeorn’s forces had constructed impressive siege equipment and were in the midst of planning a massive assault to take the keep and end the war once and for all when a strange visitor begged entrance into the camp.  An old man dressed simply in black sackcloth, begged an audience with the generals.  After having the man searched for any weapons, they admitted him into their presence. He identified himself as Kyrion Halfmage of House Akkadon, the royal house of Carmadh, and a member of the Order of the Sun. He offered a solution to the impasse: the gates of the Crown Keep would open and the soldiers of Godwine’s army would be allowed to return to their homes in exchange for an oath of fealty to Leofric and Osbeorn.  Godwine himself would be allowed to live, but would spend his days in the Royal Crypt under the care of the Order of the Sun.  The Order of the Sun would be granted perpetual dominion over the crypt in exchange for the House of Wulfred dropping any claim to the throne of Greatvale. Leofric responded that the soldiers of Godwine’s army must swear oaths of fealty not to them but to the Ealdormoot of Greatvale.  Osbeorn insisted that all royal and noble houses drop claims to the throne of Greatvale and insisted that the throne itself accompany Godwine into the tomb.  Kyrion Halfmage was startled by these demands and replied, “Then who shall be king?” “No one,” was the joint reply. Halfmage agreed to the terms as laid out by Leofric and Osbeorn and left the camp. Within a week’s time, the first of the defenders of Crown’s Keep began to emerge, each dropping their weapons as they descended the slope of the mountain, giving the place the name Spear’s Fall.  After the army was entirely disbanded, Kyrion Halfmage emerged from the keep with four attendants and another man now dressed only in black sackcloth.  As the man walked by, it was clear that this was Godwine III Beorcyning. Many of the soldiers of the combined armies spat on the ground as he walked by. Others shouted curses or hurled mud and dirt.  But no one unsheathed a sword or lowered a spear: Leofric and Osbeorn had been clear in their orders. Joining in the procession was a cart that had come from Folkhame, bearing the throne of the king.  The jeers for the chair were almost as loud as the jeers for Godwine and many of the soldiers offered grass to the oxen bearing the cart as a sign of camaraderie in the service of liberating the land of the king. As they procession left the armies’ combined camp, Osbeorn asked his steward what food they had available to feast with. The steward replied that because they were preparing to break camp, most of the provisions had been stowed; all they had at hand were a few loaves of bread and some dates. Osbeorn replied, “There was never so sweet a feast as the one of bread and dates that we shall share tonight.”  He and Leofric shared this meal with their stewards, whom they insisted join them in the feast, not as servants, but as brothers-in-arms. A special honor guard accompanied the men from the Order of the Sun on their long march to the Royal Crypt, both to protect them from harm and to ensure that they went inside. Once Kyrion and Godwine and their party entered the Tomb, the door was locked from the inside and the guard took position around the entrance.  A peasant girl brought a wreath to lay at the tomb. Reports vary but some claim this was Leafday Sceaphyrd, the youngest daughter of Swithin Sceaphyrd of Oxbridge.  When the soldiers asked her, “You’re not laying that wreath for Godwine, are you?” she replied, “No, for all those who lost their lives because of Godwine.” “Good,” said one soldier, “because that king was insane.” “No,” she replied, “Kingship is insane.” ==Establishment of the Folkdeed of Greatvale== Leofric and Osbeorn returned to Folkhame but disbanded the bulk of their armies on the way, telling each man to return to his home, tend his flocks or fields. Only garrison forces were left to safeguard important locations. When Leofric and Osbeorn entered into the chambers of the Ealdormoot, they did so in civilian clothing, shocking the members of the Ealdormoot who had expected to find themselves under the thumb of their new liberators. Leofric had summoned the members of the boroughmoot of Brandwyck, and Osbeorn those of Fiscerehæfen to participate in the session. Each delegation having been instructed to seek to extend the folkdeed across all the lands of Greatvale. Leofric stood before them and said, “My countrymen and women, the people of Greatvale are finally free of tyranny. Do not pick up the broken shards of the past; forge something new.  Now that all the royal and noble houses have quit their claims on the throne, Greatvale truly belongs to her people. You have an opportunity to give them a government worthy of their suffering and sacrifice.” Over the ensuring weeks, the reorganization of Greatvale was deliberated and ultimately decided upon in the fashion it is known today.  Leofric and Osbeorn were elected the first two Rædgivers of the Folkdeed and Frithuswith was elected its first Witeger. The election of three nobles to these important posts at first appeared to undermine the Folkdeed’s assertion of equality, but many understood this as important buy-in by the nobles for the cause of the Folkdeed.  Leofric, Osbeorn, and Frithuswith were also the first to ritually disinherit their sons at the age of seventeen, establishing a custom for those who held the offices of Rædgiver and Witeger, a custom that would eventually also include the Ealdormoot, and finally, all of Greatvale.  Leofric and Osbeorn served out their terms before being succeeded by two commoners.  Leofric and Osbeorn would be elected to Rædgiver again over their careers in public life, but would only serve together for this first two-year period. Frithuswith, despite her frequent criticism of Leofric and Osbeorn in their roles as Rædgivers, would remain close friends with both men the rest of their lives. ==Legacy of the Long Campaign== There were those who lamented the length of the war and the cost of life, but others were quick to note that the Long Campaign had given Greatvale sufficient time to let go of its past and to imagine something new.  The Long Campaign had also cemented anti-monarchist sentiment in the population, such that when the Ealdormoot placed the proposed plan before the people, few objected that it lacked a king. Others have noted that had the Folkdeed not been born in such circumstances and placed in the crucible of the Long Campaign, it could never have survived the Catastrophe or the Lost Time that followed. [[Category:Events]] ad57459250f09ac822b19dfd73905569daae5915 130 129 2014-03-16T18:40:54Z Schaef 3364594 /* Campaign’s End (111-110 PC) */ wikitext text/x-wiki The Long Campaign is the name given to the nine-year long civil war that removed the Last King of [[Greatvale]] and established the republic known as the [[Folkdeed of Greatvale]]. ==Background== In the year 120 PC, Archon Zajjasu of Carmadh celebrated the tenth year of his reign with a hunting party.  This hunting party attracted some of the great nobles and leaders of the western Sunrise Lands. Notably absent from the invitation was King Godwine III Beorncyning of Greatvale, though few were surprised by this, as relations between Carmadh and Greatvale were cool at the time. Zajjasu took his hunting party along the western side of the Kiting Mountains, the name by which Carmadh refers to the Westvale Mountains.  Toward the end of the expedition, Zajjasu led his party into the Deepwood, the forest to the south of the Westvale Mountains that marks the boundary between Carmadh and Greatvale. Although at this time the border had never been firmly established between the two realms, the woods were considered something of a “neutral zone” between the kingdoms, available for ordinary use by the people, but off limits for military or commercial use. When Godwine became aware of Zajjasu’s party’s presence in the Deepwood, the slight of his non-invitation became insult.  He declared that Carmadh’s presence in the Deepwood was an affront to all of Greatvale and especially to the honor of his house. To announce his response, he spoke before the Ealdormoot, many of whom were skeptical, but since Godwine merely convened the gathering to declare his intention rather than seek their counsel, their opinions were largely irrelevant. This followed a long pattern of erratic behavior on the part of Godwine and his increasing indifference toward the opinions of the nobles and aristocrats who made up the Ealdormoot. On the first day of [[Lenctenmath]] 118 PC, Godwine led a great host out from Folkhame toward the Deepwood to engage Zajjasu and to secure the Deepwood once and for all as Greatvale territory. On the way west, the army camped outside the town of Oxbridge, near the farm of Swithin Sceaphyrd, a commoner landholder.  During the encampment, the men of Godwine’s host resupplied themselves with the produce of Sceaphyrd’s farm, slaughtered his flocks, and at one point, seized his daughters for the “comfort” of the troops.  Sceaphyrd pleaded to the king for justice for his daughters and restitution for his lost crops and livestock.  The king rejected Sceaphyrd’s plea and sent him away. The king was reported to have said, “The problems of peasants are nothing when the honor of kings is at stake.” Devastated, Sceaphyrd went to the Boroughmoot of Oxbridge and requested their aid.  The Boroughmoot authorized their Ealdorman, Hrothgar of Wildewood, himself a cousin to Godwine, to petition the King for mercy through the Ealdormoot. Ealdor Hrothgar was in Oxbridge at the time and agreed to speak to his cousin for restitution and return of the girls. When Hrothgar appeared before the king, Godwine became so incensed that his judgment was being questioned, by his kin and his subjects, that he had Hrothgar arrested as a traitor and bound in irons.  He then dispatched a legion to raze Oxbridge to the ground as a “town in rebellion.” Swithun Sceaphyrd and his family were all executed as sympathizers to the Carmadh cause, though it is sometimes believed that one of his daughters escaped.  Every member of the Boroughmoot was nailed to the walls of Oxbridge before they were set on fire. ==Leofric’s Rebellion== Leofric of Brandwyck, a Hundredman in Godwine’s army was witness to the razing of Oxbridge as he rode with some of his officers on sentry around the camp.  Having become convinced that the king, after a long history of erratic behavior, had in fact gone mad, he and his officers rode as fast as they could back to Folkhame with news of the destruction of Oxbridge. The Ealdormoot was greatly distressed to hear the news, but opted to take no action—half of the members were either kin or appointees of the king. Many even criticized Leofric for raising the matter during a time of national crisis, a crisis, Leofric noted, that had been started by this same mad king. Leofric took the curious, and at the time, novel action of resigning his commission to the Ealdormoot rather than to the king, saying that his honor as a soldier would not allow him to continue to serve a king who was enemy to his own subjects.  He would not speak on behalf of his officers, but all of them followed suit and resigned before the Ealdormoot. Leofric and his officers rode north headed toward Brandwyck.  En route they were intercepted by a rider who bore a surprising message: a number of the Ealdormen and -women shared Leofric’s concerns about the king and wished to meet with him.  A day later, in a back room at the Fly &amp; Eel Inn, Leofric and his men met with Æthelræd of Whitshollow, Frithuswith of Northmarch, and Hereweald of Eoford. The members of the Ealdormoot told Leofric that they had had some concerns about the king for some time, noting that his edicts had grown more and more erratic and that this entire venture against Carmadh was forced down the Ealdormoot’s throat.  As the conversation went late into the night, the list of the king’s follies and crimes grew longer and longer as the Ealdors shared what they knew.  At each report, Leofric became more and more disturbed and agitated. Finally, Æthelræd stated bluntly, “The king is insane,” to which Leofric famously replied: S<em>e cyning is ne wodseoc; cyningscipe biđ wodseoc</em> - ”The king is not insane; king<em>ship </em>is insane.” He went on to note the injustices perpetrated by practically every king after King Cynric I, even the kings they considered “good”, and noted that it was the entire structure that bred this kind of evil.  Some of his officers shared stories of horrors from neighboring realms.  And every once in a while one of the company would simply utter: “The king is not insane; kingship is insane.” As they paused at one point, simply to reflect on what had been said, Frithuswith sat forward in her chair and asked: “Who is Greatvale for, in the end? The King or the people?” Leofric stood and announced his intention to continue his ride north and there to rally the people to declare a free state independent of the crown. The Ealdors agreed that they would return to Folkhame to try to discern how many of the Ealdormoot would support such action. Leofric rode north to Brandwyck and shared with the Boroughmoot what had taken place in Oxbridge and the other reports of the king’s misdeeds. The Boroughmoot reacted with horror but were reluctant to take action. “What course do we have available to us?” one member reportedly asked. “Shall we set up for ourselves a king in the north against whom some later valiant son will have to rebel?” Leofric replied, “There will be no king in the north, and if the fates are with us, there will be no king in the south. Our task is to create a work of the people, a <em>folkdeed</em>.” The Boroughmoot affirmed the idea and on the 12th day of Blostmath 118 PC, the free and independent Folkdeed of Northvale was declared.  Leofric was offered the post of Lord Protector but declined, arguing that he could better support the new state as a general and pleaded with the Boroughmoot to govern as a council.  In later years, Leofric is reported to have said, “Had I taken the office, even though it have a different title, I would have been a king; and I had seen enough of kingship to know that I was not strong enough a man to resist its corruptions.” Leofric went to the neighboring estates and holdfasts, personally appealing for support. It was said that such was Leofric’s passion, valor, and charm that he often persuaded people within the first minutes of his conversation with them.  Within a month the whole of the Northvale and the Northmarch had allied themselves with the fledgling state in Brandwyck.  Leofric proved an impressive commander and within a few weeks had established defenses for the new realm that were the rival of anything the Kingdom had ever produced. ==The Campaign== ===The King’s March (118-116 PC)=== When King Godwine was told of what had happened in Brandwyck he was outraged.  He quickly broke camp and returned to Folkhame with his entire army, save a couple of legions to guard the frontier, which he still believed was about to be invaded by Carmadh. When he arrived in Folkhame, he disbanded the Ealdormoot and placed many of the members under house arrest. Godwine believed that Brandwyck could never have done what it did without either aid or encouragement from the Ealdormoot and set out to determine who in the council had betrayed him. [[File:lc1.png|200px|thumb|right|The King's March]] While the Kingdom of Greatvale had never been anything remotely resembling a participatory democracy, the Ealdormoot had long been a respected advisory body, and helped the nobles to feel involved in the kingdom and giving them a sense of ownership.  Now, those same nobles were being rounded up and imprisoned by the king and his agents.  Æthelræd of Whitshollow was thrown into a dungeon and eventually died under torture.  Frithuswith of Northmarch and Hereweald of Eoford were able to escape Folkhame and were taken north by agents of Leofric. Godwine’s measures in Folkhame were brutal and achieved a measure of success; all dissension was quelled in the capital and when the Ealdormoot was eventually reconvened, it declared all of Godwine’s actions to be legal and necessary in defense of the realm.  They declared the Northvale and Northmarch as territories in rebellion and as traitors deserving of death. Any member of the Ealdormoot who was not in attendance or who would not sign a proxy letter was declared anathema and placed under an order of condemnation. Godwine dismissed Folkhome’s boroughmoot and left a governor in charge of the city. Feeling that the situation in Folkhame had been stabilized, he took his army north into the surrounding countryside to root out rebel sympathizers. There was no method to the king’s effort to root out enemies of the crown.  At times he appeared to select targets on a whim, burning down farms and even entire villages because he <em>knew</em> they had to be part of this rebellion. For two years, Godwine’s army terrorized the central valley on either side of the Great Tidewater. Entreaties by the Ealdormoot to return to Folkhome and take his place on the throne were ignored. In all this time, Godwine made not one attempt to enter the lands that had declared independence.  All of his activity took place on land that was considered to be loyal. Over the course of the King’s March, it is believed that some 30,000 Greatvalers died at the hands of the king’s army. ===The Siege of the North (116-114 PC)=== Having been satisfied that the lands behind him were now free of treason, Godwine set his eyes on the north country.  In Sonnemath of 116, he led his host north along the Great Tidewater toward Brandwyck.  Leofric had by this time erected fortifications all along the ridge line, preserving the high vale territories, on which much grain could be grown, but also the mills of the the upper Tidewater.  Had Godwine marched north immediately, rather than needlessly terrorizing the southern and central countryside, he would have caught the Folkdeed in a much more disadvantaged state. [[File:lc.png|200px|thumb|right|Leofric's fortifications]] As it was, the king’s host was prevented from moving further up the valley; the fortifications were sufficient to hold Godwine’s advance but not to drive it back completely.  One of the great strengths of the Kingdom of Greatvale is that the entire geography is something of a fortress. The mountain that surround the valley are exceptionally difficult to cross in great numbers and the safe passes are few.  Godwine decided to use this to his advantage.  He decided to lay siege to Northvale and starve them out. He dispatched two legions to secure the passes to the north and northeast of the vale. In one case, he illegally sent troops over foreign soil to block the pass from the back end. [[File:lc2.png|200px|thumb|right|Siege of the North]] Leofric dispatched as many forces as he could to defend the passes from incursion, but knew he did not have enough strength to dislodge the king’s troops and maintain the defenses along his southern fortifications.  The Brandwyck boroughmoot established programs to store food as best as possible. Great storehouses were constructed for grain. A woman named Hilda, widow to Eadmund Fiscere, led a band of people north into the mountains to carve out great chunks of ice and bring them down into the vale by sledge. They placed these large pieces of ice in the ground and built structures over them.  These “Hilda’s Iceboxes” became huge storage centers for fish from Lake Sworetunga  and other perishable produce of the region. Initially, people were asked to sacrifice a meal a day to save on food and then two; by the end of the siege, these conditions would be considered feasting. The winter of 116-115 PC was relatively mild with a late fall and an early spring. Food production was diminished but was still able to provide for the people of Northvale.  The winter of 115-114 PC was brutal and early frosts were hard on fruit trees.  The depth of the ice on Lake Sworetunga made fishing difficult and the yields of fish were much lower that year.  In addition, Godwine sent raiding parties across the frontier to set fire to fields just before harvest, devastating entire communities.  This, in turn, led to the development of the Folkeored, a mounted regiment who could patrol the farmlands and respond quickly to any reports of firing of fields.  The Folkeored was ultimately able to capture or kill most of those who came on raiding parties but not before those parties exacted a heavy toll. ===Rebellion in the South (114 – 113 PC)=== Ultimately, the rescue of the north did not come from Leofric’s armies or the Folkeored, but from the peoples of the south.  The siege on Northvale had had disastrous effects on the economies of the south, especially the trading and merchant fleets of Fralin’s Deep.  By the second century P.C., Greatvale had established itself as a seagoing, mercantile power in the region.  There was a high demand for the quality linen and much of the produce of the northern vale.  Godwine’s siege of the north had prevented any goods from leaving and the commercial interests of the south were suffering the effects.  The southern merchants had petitioned the king repeatedly through the Ealdormoot, but as with everything else, those petitions went unheeded.  As the siege dragged on, rumblings in the south that the king was no longer a protector of the realm but a maniac bent on punishment of those who defied him began to increase.  The horrors of the King’s March were now becoming more and more well-known as reports of the king’s indiscriminate justice began to travel the realm. [[File:lc3.png|200px|thumb|right|The southern rebellion]] In Regenmath of 114, the boroughmoot of Fiscerehæfen declared itself independent of the crown even going so far as to declare themselves to be the <em>folkdeed </em>of Fiscerehæfen. Seven other coastal cities followed suit and before long were calling themselves the Folkdeed of Southvale. Town militias and other companies of volunteers were hastily put together and marched north to secure important roads and trade routes. One company marched into Wulfred’s Byland to secure important grain resources. When word of the southern rebellion reached Godwine in the north, he immediately pulled his forces back and marched on Folkhame. His advance was slowed by muddy roads and ironically by the lack of provisions in the central valley due to his harsh campaigning there two years before. By the time Godwine reached Folkhame, the city had lost half its population to flight.  Tens of thousands streamed south into the lands of the Southvale Folkdeed. The governor whom Godwine had placed in charge of Folkhome after disbanding the city’s boroughmoot, ruled with an excessively heavy hand in an effort to quell any dissent. When Godwine got to Folkhame, he found it essentially plundered, as the city’s residents had taken everything of value they could, the most valuable thing being themselves as the city’s workforce.  Godwine executed his governor for incompetence and immediately dispatched his soldiers around the city to shore up the defenses and attain provision. Godwine was still under the impression that his force was the strongest, and in strictly speaking numeric terms this may have been the case. But by this time, after four years of war that had done little to quell the northern rebellion and had succeeded in igniting a southern one, many in the royal army were demoralized.  In fact, so intent had Godwine been on quelling dissent in the broader population, that he had ignored the rising levels of dissatisfaction in his own forces.  In Hærfestmath of 114 PC, Osbeorn Swordsmith, a commander in the royal host, simply marched his legions out of the gates of Folkhame and defected en masse to the southern cause.  Osbeorn was a nobleman of a long-established house that prized honor, and like Leofric before him, decided that his honor would not allow him to serve a king who had become his subjects’ enemy.  According to the reports, took his legions outside the gates, stood before them and announced, “We are marching south to join in the defense of the southern lands from this monster of a king.  Any man who wishes to stay may do so without penalty.” According to those same reports, not a single soldier left.  Many have speculated as to why Osbeorn did not simply command his legions to take control of Folkhame itself and become king. Speculation has long focused on whether Osbeorn had the numbers to accomplish this task and has largely ignored the reality that to someone of Osbeorn’s background, such a betrayal would never have been honorable, whereas riding to the defense of an oppressed population (and one in sore need of experienced military leadership) was honorable.  One apocryphal report states that as they rode south, one of Osbeorn’s captains said to him, “The king truly is insane,” whereupon Osbeorn is said to have replied, “The king is not insane, kingship is insane.” ===The Intervention (113-112 PC)=== The ongoing crisis in Greatvale eventually became one of tremendous concern to the surrounding realms.  Godwine himself had never been popular and initially the rebellion brought comfort to some of the other powers in the region, especially to Zajjasu of Carmadh.  But as the conflict wore on, it became clear that the <em>nature </em>of the rebellion was a bigger threat than Godwine himself had ever been.  Two dissident realms had established themselves in the north and south of Greatvale and neither one had proclaimed a king. In fact, they had both declared themselves to be intentionally free of a king.  Fearing the political instability this might bring about in their own realms, the surrounding powers all sent expeditionary forces into Greatvale to shore up Godwine and help to quell the rebellions. [[File:lc4.png|200px|thumb|right|The foreign intervention]] Initially, southern forces were taken aback by the foreign intervention, and heavy losses were suffered in the initial encounters, particularly in Wulfred’s Byland and in the south-east marches below the Eastvale Mountains.  However, Osbeorn led a force into the Byland and met Zajjasu’s forces at the edge of the Deepwood.  Osbeorn’s army routed Zajjasu completely and by the end of the engagement had secured the entirety of the Deepwood under southern control.  Some have speculated that Osbeorn took the Deepwood as an insult to Godwine who had precipitated the entire crisis when he had set out to do so five years earlier. In the north, Leofric sent a host to engage an army attempting to invade through the Upgang Pass. Leofric sent a local militia commander named Weland who had impressed Leofric with his skill.  Weland was also from near the pass and his knowledge of the pass helped him to defeat a force that outnumbered his two-to-one. Leofric himself took a great army and marched south toward Folkhame.  Godwine had foolishly believed that the intervention was turning the tide and so had sent two armies out of Folkhame to retake the south and west vales.  A separate force from Brandwyck intercepted Godwine’s western host and fought a battle there that, while not decisive, did cause the force to retreat back to Folkhame.  A second royalist force traveled along the Tidewater but was constantly harassed by southern forces as they made their way south and were never able to meet up with the interventionist forces as had been hoped.  In fact, the intervention only served to stoke the fires of rebellion among the towns and cities of Greatvale, for now it was clear that Godwine was in league with Greatvale's enemies.  And while most were wise enough to realize that the foreign powers were doing this to advance their own interests, the symbolism of their king fighting alongside foreign forces to oppress his own people was too powerful to ignore and served to galvanize the entire rebellion. On the 10th day of [[Midmath]] 112 PC, Godwine took his remaining forces from Folkhame and marched north to meet Leofric’s host that had been traveling south along the east shore of the Tidewater. ===Campaign’s End (111-110 PC)=== On the 15th day of Regenmath 111 PC, Godwine’s armies engaged Leofric’s host at the north ford of the Tidewater.  In a battle that lasted two days, Leofric defeated Godwine who took his army and fled west to the Westvale Mountains.  Leofric followed in pursuit, stopping only to establish a garrison at Folkhame.  Leofric left strict instruction that no one was to be harmed in the city, that the boroughmoot was to be restored to power and that the provision of the people’s material need should be a priority.  What few members of the Ealdormoot who remained convened at the same time and disavowed all the decrees against Leofric and Osbeorn that they had issued under Godwine’s direction. Leofric continued west in pursuit of Godwine only to encounter another royalist force in the midvale. This force had been the one previously sent west and defeated by another northern army the previous year. This army was utterly destroyed.  Most of the soldiers fled dropping their weapons and casting off what armor they had as they ran.  Those who remained to fight were vastly outmatched by a better led army, and one with a far higher morale.  In fact, many of the residents of the region, remembering the King’s March, joined with Leofric’s forces as the battle raged or served as pickets around the battlefield, capturing fleeing royalist soldiers. [[File:lc4.png|200px|thumb|right|The final marches]] In the end, Leofric continued his march west with surprisingly few casualties. At the base of the Heofodbend Mountain, he was joined by the northern host and by Osbeorn’s army, returned from the Deepwood, minus a border garrison. Godwine had entrenched himself up the mountain at the Crown’s Keep and been joined by the remnants of another royalist host that had been sent into the south without success. Leofric and Osbeorn longed for war to be over, but they knew that an assault on the keep would be a disaster and would cost thousands of men.  The forces of north and south began to lay siege on the keep. By Cyrtenmath, the siege was entering its sixth month without an end in sight.  Leofric and Osbeorn’s forces had constructed impressive siege equipment and were in the midst of planning a massive assault to take the keep and end the war once and for all when a strange visitor begged entrance into the camp.  An old man dressed simply in black sackcloth, begged an audience with the generals.  After having the man searched for any weapons, they admitted him into their presence. He identified himself as Kyrion Halfmage of House Akkadon, the royal house of Carmadh, and a member of the Order of the Sun. He offered a solution to the impasse: the gates of the Crown Keep would open and the soldiers of Godwine’s army would be allowed to return to their homes in exchange for an oath of fealty to Leofric and Osbeorn.  Godwine himself would be allowed to live, but would spend his days in the Royal Crypt under the care of the Order of the Sun.  The Order of the Sun would be granted perpetual dominion over the crypt in exchange for the House of Wulfred dropping any claim to the throne of Greatvale. Leofric responded that the soldiers of Godwine’s army must swear oaths of fealty not to them but to the Ealdormoot of Greatvale.  Osbeorn insisted that all royal and noble houses drop claims to the throne of Greatvale and insisted that the throne itself accompany Godwine into the tomb.  Kyrion Halfmage was startled by these demands and replied, “Then who shall be king?” “No one,” was the joint reply. Halfmage agreed to the terms as laid out by Leofric and Osbeorn and left the camp. Within a week’s time, the first of the defenders of Crown’s Keep began to emerge, each dropping their weapons as they descended the slope of the mountain, giving the place the name Spear’s Fall.  After the army was entirely disbanded, Kyrion Halfmage emerged from the keep with four attendants and another man now dressed only in black sackcloth.  As the man walked by, it was clear that this was Godwine III Beorcyning. Many of the soldiers of the combined armies spat on the ground as he walked by. Others shouted curses or hurled mud and dirt.  But no one unsheathed a sword or lowered a spear: Leofric and Osbeorn had been clear in their orders. Joining in the procession was a cart that had come from Folkhame, bearing the throne of the king.  The jeers for the chair were almost as loud as the jeers for Godwine and many of the soldiers offered grass to the oxen bearing the cart as a sign of camaraderie in the service of liberating the land of the king. As they procession left the armies’ combined camp, Osbeorn asked his steward what food they had available to feast with. The steward replied that because they were preparing to break camp, most of the provisions had been stowed; all they had at hand were a few loaves of bread and some dates. Osbeorn replied, “There was never so sweet a feast as the one of bread and dates that we shall share tonight.”  He and Leofric shared this meal with their stewards, whom they insisted join them in the feast, not as servants, but as brothers-in-arms. A special honor guard accompanied the men from the Order of the Sun on their long march to the Royal Crypt, both to protect them from harm and to ensure that they went inside. Once Kyrion and Godwine and their party entered the Tomb, the door was locked from the inside and the guard took position around the entrance.  A peasant girl brought a wreath to lay at the tomb. Reports vary but some claim this was Leafday Sceaphyrd, the youngest daughter of Swithin Sceaphyrd of Oxbridge.  When the soldiers asked her, “You’re not laying that wreath for Godwine, are you?” she replied, “No, for all those who lost their lives because of Godwine.” “Good,” said one soldier, “because that king was insane.” “No,” she replied, “Kingship is insane.” ==Establishment of the Folkdeed of Greatvale== Leofric and Osbeorn returned to Folkhame but disbanded the bulk of their armies on the way, telling each man to return to his home, tend his flocks or fields. Only garrison forces were left to safeguard important locations. When Leofric and Osbeorn entered into the chambers of the Ealdormoot, they did so in civilian clothing, shocking the members of the Ealdormoot who had expected to find themselves under the thumb of their new liberators. Leofric had summoned the members of the boroughmoot of Brandwyck, and Osbeorn those of Fiscerehæfen to participate in the session. Each delegation having been instructed to seek to extend the folkdeed across all the lands of Greatvale. Leofric stood before them and said, “My countrymen and women, the people of Greatvale are finally free of tyranny. Do not pick up the broken shards of the past; forge something new.  Now that all the royal and noble houses have quit their claims on the throne, Greatvale truly belongs to her people. You have an opportunity to give them a government worthy of their suffering and sacrifice.” Over the ensuring weeks, the reorganization of Greatvale was deliberated and ultimately decided upon in the fashion it is known today.  Leofric and Osbeorn were elected the first two Rædgivers of the Folkdeed and Frithuswith was elected its first Witeger. The election of three nobles to these important posts at first appeared to undermine the Folkdeed’s assertion of equality, but many understood this as important buy-in by the nobles for the cause of the Folkdeed.  Leofric, Osbeorn, and Frithuswith were also the first to ritually disinherit their sons at the age of seventeen, establishing a custom for those who held the offices of Rædgiver and Witeger, a custom that would eventually also include the Ealdormoot, and finally, all of Greatvale.  Leofric and Osbeorn served out their terms before being succeeded by two commoners.  Leofric and Osbeorn would be elected to Rædgiver again over their careers in public life, but would only serve together for this first two-year period. Frithuswith, despite her frequent criticism of Leofric and Osbeorn in their roles as Rædgivers, would remain close friends with both men the rest of their lives. ==Legacy of the Long Campaign== There were those who lamented the length of the war and the cost of life, but others were quick to note that the Long Campaign had given Greatvale sufficient time to let go of its past and to imagine something new.  The Long Campaign had also cemented anti-monarchist sentiment in the population, such that when the Ealdormoot placed the proposed plan before the people, few objected that it lacked a king. Others have noted that had the Folkdeed not been born in such circumstances and placed in the crucible of the Long Campaign, it could never have survived the Catastrophe or the Lost Time that followed. [[Category:Events]] 847ac0d3e796f693331e1aa395493b4f3731e4c3 131 130 2014-03-16T18:41:17Z Schaef 3364594 /* Campaign’s End (111-110 PC) */ wikitext text/x-wiki The Long Campaign is the name given to the nine-year long civil war that removed the Last King of [[Greatvale]] and established the republic known as the [[Folkdeed of Greatvale]]. ==Background== In the year 120 PC, Archon Zajjasu of Carmadh celebrated the tenth year of his reign with a hunting party.  This hunting party attracted some of the great nobles and leaders of the western Sunrise Lands. Notably absent from the invitation was King Godwine III Beorncyning of Greatvale, though few were surprised by this, as relations between Carmadh and Greatvale were cool at the time. Zajjasu took his hunting party along the western side of the Kiting Mountains, the name by which Carmadh refers to the Westvale Mountains.  Toward the end of the expedition, Zajjasu led his party into the Deepwood, the forest to the south of the Westvale Mountains that marks the boundary between Carmadh and Greatvale. Although at this time the border had never been firmly established between the two realms, the woods were considered something of a “neutral zone” between the kingdoms, available for ordinary use by the people, but off limits for military or commercial use. When Godwine became aware of Zajjasu’s party’s presence in the Deepwood, the slight of his non-invitation became insult.  He declared that Carmadh’s presence in the Deepwood was an affront to all of Greatvale and especially to the honor of his house. To announce his response, he spoke before the Ealdormoot, many of whom were skeptical, but since Godwine merely convened the gathering to declare his intention rather than seek their counsel, their opinions were largely irrelevant. This followed a long pattern of erratic behavior on the part of Godwine and his increasing indifference toward the opinions of the nobles and aristocrats who made up the Ealdormoot. On the first day of [[Lenctenmath]] 118 PC, Godwine led a great host out from Folkhame toward the Deepwood to engage Zajjasu and to secure the Deepwood once and for all as Greatvale territory. On the way west, the army camped outside the town of Oxbridge, near the farm of Swithin Sceaphyrd, a commoner landholder.  During the encampment, the men of Godwine’s host resupplied themselves with the produce of Sceaphyrd’s farm, slaughtered his flocks, and at one point, seized his daughters for the “comfort” of the troops.  Sceaphyrd pleaded to the king for justice for his daughters and restitution for his lost crops and livestock.  The king rejected Sceaphyrd’s plea and sent him away. The king was reported to have said, “The problems of peasants are nothing when the honor of kings is at stake.” Devastated, Sceaphyrd went to the Boroughmoot of Oxbridge and requested their aid.  The Boroughmoot authorized their Ealdorman, Hrothgar of Wildewood, himself a cousin to Godwine, to petition the King for mercy through the Ealdormoot. Ealdor Hrothgar was in Oxbridge at the time and agreed to speak to his cousin for restitution and return of the girls. When Hrothgar appeared before the king, Godwine became so incensed that his judgment was being questioned, by his kin and his subjects, that he had Hrothgar arrested as a traitor and bound in irons.  He then dispatched a legion to raze Oxbridge to the ground as a “town in rebellion.” Swithun Sceaphyrd and his family were all executed as sympathizers to the Carmadh cause, though it is sometimes believed that one of his daughters escaped.  Every member of the Boroughmoot was nailed to the walls of Oxbridge before they were set on fire. ==Leofric’s Rebellion== Leofric of Brandwyck, a Hundredman in Godwine’s army was witness to the razing of Oxbridge as he rode with some of his officers on sentry around the camp.  Having become convinced that the king, after a long history of erratic behavior, had in fact gone mad, he and his officers rode as fast as they could back to Folkhame with news of the destruction of Oxbridge. The Ealdormoot was greatly distressed to hear the news, but opted to take no action—half of the members were either kin or appointees of the king. Many even criticized Leofric for raising the matter during a time of national crisis, a crisis, Leofric noted, that had been started by this same mad king. Leofric took the curious, and at the time, novel action of resigning his commission to the Ealdormoot rather than to the king, saying that his honor as a soldier would not allow him to continue to serve a king who was enemy to his own subjects.  He would not speak on behalf of his officers, but all of them followed suit and resigned before the Ealdormoot. Leofric and his officers rode north headed toward Brandwyck.  En route they were intercepted by a rider who bore a surprising message: a number of the Ealdormen and -women shared Leofric’s concerns about the king and wished to meet with him.  A day later, in a back room at the Fly &amp; Eel Inn, Leofric and his men met with Æthelræd of Whitshollow, Frithuswith of Northmarch, and Hereweald of Eoford. The members of the Ealdormoot told Leofric that they had had some concerns about the king for some time, noting that his edicts had grown more and more erratic and that this entire venture against Carmadh was forced down the Ealdormoot’s throat.  As the conversation went late into the night, the list of the king’s follies and crimes grew longer and longer as the Ealdors shared what they knew.  At each report, Leofric became more and more disturbed and agitated. Finally, Æthelræd stated bluntly, “The king is insane,” to which Leofric famously replied: S<em>e cyning is ne wodseoc; cyningscipe biđ wodseoc</em> - ”The king is not insane; king<em>ship </em>is insane.” He went on to note the injustices perpetrated by practically every king after King Cynric I, even the kings they considered “good”, and noted that it was the entire structure that bred this kind of evil.  Some of his officers shared stories of horrors from neighboring realms.  And every once in a while one of the company would simply utter: “The king is not insane; kingship is insane.” As they paused at one point, simply to reflect on what had been said, Frithuswith sat forward in her chair and asked: “Who is Greatvale for, in the end? The King or the people?” Leofric stood and announced his intention to continue his ride north and there to rally the people to declare a free state independent of the crown. The Ealdors agreed that they would return to Folkhame to try to discern how many of the Ealdormoot would support such action. Leofric rode north to Brandwyck and shared with the Boroughmoot what had taken place in Oxbridge and the other reports of the king’s misdeeds. The Boroughmoot reacted with horror but were reluctant to take action. “What course do we have available to us?” one member reportedly asked. “Shall we set up for ourselves a king in the north against whom some later valiant son will have to rebel?” Leofric replied, “There will be no king in the north, and if the fates are with us, there will be no king in the south. Our task is to create a work of the people, a <em>folkdeed</em>.” The Boroughmoot affirmed the idea and on the 12th day of Blostmath 118 PC, the free and independent Folkdeed of Northvale was declared.  Leofric was offered the post of Lord Protector but declined, arguing that he could better support the new state as a general and pleaded with the Boroughmoot to govern as a council.  In later years, Leofric is reported to have said, “Had I taken the office, even though it have a different title, I would have been a king; and I had seen enough of kingship to know that I was not strong enough a man to resist its corruptions.” Leofric went to the neighboring estates and holdfasts, personally appealing for support. It was said that such was Leofric’s passion, valor, and charm that he often persuaded people within the first minutes of his conversation with them.  Within a month the whole of the Northvale and the Northmarch had allied themselves with the fledgling state in Brandwyck.  Leofric proved an impressive commander and within a few weeks had established defenses for the new realm that were the rival of anything the Kingdom had ever produced. ==The Campaign== ===The King’s March (118-116 PC)=== When King Godwine was told of what had happened in Brandwyck he was outraged.  He quickly broke camp and returned to Folkhame with his entire army, save a couple of legions to guard the frontier, which he still believed was about to be invaded by Carmadh. When he arrived in Folkhame, he disbanded the Ealdormoot and placed many of the members under house arrest. Godwine believed that Brandwyck could never have done what it did without either aid or encouragement from the Ealdormoot and set out to determine who in the council had betrayed him. [[File:lc1.png|200px|thumb|right|The King's March]] While the Kingdom of Greatvale had never been anything remotely resembling a participatory democracy, the Ealdormoot had long been a respected advisory body, and helped the nobles to feel involved in the kingdom and giving them a sense of ownership.  Now, those same nobles were being rounded up and imprisoned by the king and his agents.  Æthelræd of Whitshollow was thrown into a dungeon and eventually died under torture.  Frithuswith of Northmarch and Hereweald of Eoford were able to escape Folkhame and were taken north by agents of Leofric. Godwine’s measures in Folkhame were brutal and achieved a measure of success; all dissension was quelled in the capital and when the Ealdormoot was eventually reconvened, it declared all of Godwine’s actions to be legal and necessary in defense of the realm.  They declared the Northvale and Northmarch as territories in rebellion and as traitors deserving of death. Any member of the Ealdormoot who was not in attendance or who would not sign a proxy letter was declared anathema and placed under an order of condemnation. Godwine dismissed Folkhome’s boroughmoot and left a governor in charge of the city. Feeling that the situation in Folkhame had been stabilized, he took his army north into the surrounding countryside to root out rebel sympathizers. There was no method to the king’s effort to root out enemies of the crown.  At times he appeared to select targets on a whim, burning down farms and even entire villages because he <em>knew</em> they had to be part of this rebellion. For two years, Godwine’s army terrorized the central valley on either side of the Great Tidewater. Entreaties by the Ealdormoot to return to Folkhome and take his place on the throne were ignored. In all this time, Godwine made not one attempt to enter the lands that had declared independence.  All of his activity took place on land that was considered to be loyal. Over the course of the King’s March, it is believed that some 30,000 Greatvalers died at the hands of the king’s army. ===The Siege of the North (116-114 PC)=== Having been satisfied that the lands behind him were now free of treason, Godwine set his eyes on the north country.  In Sonnemath of 116, he led his host north along the Great Tidewater toward Brandwyck.  Leofric had by this time erected fortifications all along the ridge line, preserving the high vale territories, on which much grain could be grown, but also the mills of the the upper Tidewater.  Had Godwine marched north immediately, rather than needlessly terrorizing the southern and central countryside, he would have caught the Folkdeed in a much more disadvantaged state. [[File:lc.png|200px|thumb|right|Leofric's fortifications]] As it was, the king’s host was prevented from moving further up the valley; the fortifications were sufficient to hold Godwine’s advance but not to drive it back completely.  One of the great strengths of the Kingdom of Greatvale is that the entire geography is something of a fortress. The mountain that surround the valley are exceptionally difficult to cross in great numbers and the safe passes are few.  Godwine decided to use this to his advantage.  He decided to lay siege to Northvale and starve them out. He dispatched two legions to secure the passes to the north and northeast of the vale. In one case, he illegally sent troops over foreign soil to block the pass from the back end. [[File:lc2.png|200px|thumb|right|Siege of the North]] Leofric dispatched as many forces as he could to defend the passes from incursion, but knew he did not have enough strength to dislodge the king’s troops and maintain the defenses along his southern fortifications.  The Brandwyck boroughmoot established programs to store food as best as possible. Great storehouses were constructed for grain. A woman named Hilda, widow to Eadmund Fiscere, led a band of people north into the mountains to carve out great chunks of ice and bring them down into the vale by sledge. They placed these large pieces of ice in the ground and built structures over them.  These “Hilda’s Iceboxes” became huge storage centers for fish from Lake Sworetunga  and other perishable produce of the region. Initially, people were asked to sacrifice a meal a day to save on food and then two; by the end of the siege, these conditions would be considered feasting. The winter of 116-115 PC was relatively mild with a late fall and an early spring. Food production was diminished but was still able to provide for the people of Northvale.  The winter of 115-114 PC was brutal and early frosts were hard on fruit trees.  The depth of the ice on Lake Sworetunga made fishing difficult and the yields of fish were much lower that year.  In addition, Godwine sent raiding parties across the frontier to set fire to fields just before harvest, devastating entire communities.  This, in turn, led to the development of the Folkeored, a mounted regiment who could patrol the farmlands and respond quickly to any reports of firing of fields.  The Folkeored was ultimately able to capture or kill most of those who came on raiding parties but not before those parties exacted a heavy toll. ===Rebellion in the South (114 – 113 PC)=== Ultimately, the rescue of the north did not come from Leofric’s armies or the Folkeored, but from the peoples of the south.  The siege on Northvale had had disastrous effects on the economies of the south, especially the trading and merchant fleets of Fralin’s Deep.  By the second century P.C., Greatvale had established itself as a seagoing, mercantile power in the region.  There was a high demand for the quality linen and much of the produce of the northern vale.  Godwine’s siege of the north had prevented any goods from leaving and the commercial interests of the south were suffering the effects.  The southern merchants had petitioned the king repeatedly through the Ealdormoot, but as with everything else, those petitions went unheeded.  As the siege dragged on, rumblings in the south that the king was no longer a protector of the realm but a maniac bent on punishment of those who defied him began to increase.  The horrors of the King’s March were now becoming more and more well-known as reports of the king’s indiscriminate justice began to travel the realm. [[File:lc3.png|200px|thumb|right|The southern rebellion]] In Regenmath of 114, the boroughmoot of Fiscerehæfen declared itself independent of the crown even going so far as to declare themselves to be the <em>folkdeed </em>of Fiscerehæfen. Seven other coastal cities followed suit and before long were calling themselves the Folkdeed of Southvale. Town militias and other companies of volunteers were hastily put together and marched north to secure important roads and trade routes. One company marched into Wulfred’s Byland to secure important grain resources. When word of the southern rebellion reached Godwine in the north, he immediately pulled his forces back and marched on Folkhame. His advance was slowed by muddy roads and ironically by the lack of provisions in the central valley due to his harsh campaigning there two years before. By the time Godwine reached Folkhame, the city had lost half its population to flight.  Tens of thousands streamed south into the lands of the Southvale Folkdeed. The governor whom Godwine had placed in charge of Folkhome after disbanding the city’s boroughmoot, ruled with an excessively heavy hand in an effort to quell any dissent. When Godwine got to Folkhame, he found it essentially plundered, as the city’s residents had taken everything of value they could, the most valuable thing being themselves as the city’s workforce.  Godwine executed his governor for incompetence and immediately dispatched his soldiers around the city to shore up the defenses and attain provision. Godwine was still under the impression that his force was the strongest, and in strictly speaking numeric terms this may have been the case. But by this time, after four years of war that had done little to quell the northern rebellion and had succeeded in igniting a southern one, many in the royal army were demoralized.  In fact, so intent had Godwine been on quelling dissent in the broader population, that he had ignored the rising levels of dissatisfaction in his own forces.  In Hærfestmath of 114 PC, Osbeorn Swordsmith, a commander in the royal host, simply marched his legions out of the gates of Folkhame and defected en masse to the southern cause.  Osbeorn was a nobleman of a long-established house that prized honor, and like Leofric before him, decided that his honor would not allow him to serve a king who had become his subjects’ enemy.  According to the reports, took his legions outside the gates, stood before them and announced, “We are marching south to join in the defense of the southern lands from this monster of a king.  Any man who wishes to stay may do so without penalty.” According to those same reports, not a single soldier left.  Many have speculated as to why Osbeorn did not simply command his legions to take control of Folkhame itself and become king. Speculation has long focused on whether Osbeorn had the numbers to accomplish this task and has largely ignored the reality that to someone of Osbeorn’s background, such a betrayal would never have been honorable, whereas riding to the defense of an oppressed population (and one in sore need of experienced military leadership) was honorable.  One apocryphal report states that as they rode south, one of Osbeorn’s captains said to him, “The king truly is insane,” whereupon Osbeorn is said to have replied, “The king is not insane, kingship is insane.” ===The Intervention (113-112 PC)=== The ongoing crisis in Greatvale eventually became one of tremendous concern to the surrounding realms.  Godwine himself had never been popular and initially the rebellion brought comfort to some of the other powers in the region, especially to Zajjasu of Carmadh.  But as the conflict wore on, it became clear that the <em>nature </em>of the rebellion was a bigger threat than Godwine himself had ever been.  Two dissident realms had established themselves in the north and south of Greatvale and neither one had proclaimed a king. In fact, they had both declared themselves to be intentionally free of a king.  Fearing the political instability this might bring about in their own realms, the surrounding powers all sent expeditionary forces into Greatvale to shore up Godwine and help to quell the rebellions. [[File:lc4.png|200px|thumb|right|The foreign intervention]] Initially, southern forces were taken aback by the foreign intervention, and heavy losses were suffered in the initial encounters, particularly in Wulfred’s Byland and in the south-east marches below the Eastvale Mountains.  However, Osbeorn led a force into the Byland and met Zajjasu’s forces at the edge of the Deepwood.  Osbeorn’s army routed Zajjasu completely and by the end of the engagement had secured the entirety of the Deepwood under southern control.  Some have speculated that Osbeorn took the Deepwood as an insult to Godwine who had precipitated the entire crisis when he had set out to do so five years earlier. In the north, Leofric sent a host to engage an army attempting to invade through the Upgang Pass. Leofric sent a local militia commander named Weland who had impressed Leofric with his skill.  Weland was also from near the pass and his knowledge of the pass helped him to defeat a force that outnumbered his two-to-one. Leofric himself took a great army and marched south toward Folkhame.  Godwine had foolishly believed that the intervention was turning the tide and so had sent two armies out of Folkhame to retake the south and west vales.  A separate force from Brandwyck intercepted Godwine’s western host and fought a battle there that, while not decisive, did cause the force to retreat back to Folkhame.  A second royalist force traveled along the Tidewater but was constantly harassed by southern forces as they made their way south and were never able to meet up with the interventionist forces as had been hoped.  In fact, the intervention only served to stoke the fires of rebellion among the towns and cities of Greatvale, for now it was clear that Godwine was in league with Greatvale's enemies.  And while most were wise enough to realize that the foreign powers were doing this to advance their own interests, the symbolism of their king fighting alongside foreign forces to oppress his own people was too powerful to ignore and served to galvanize the entire rebellion. On the 10th day of [[Midmath]] 112 PC, Godwine took his remaining forces from Folkhame and marched north to meet Leofric’s host that had been traveling south along the east shore of the Tidewater. ===Campaign’s End (111-110 PC)=== On the 15th day of Regenmath 111 PC, Godwine’s armies engaged Leofric’s host at the north ford of the Tidewater.  In a battle that lasted two days, Leofric defeated Godwine who took his army and fled west to the Westvale Mountains.  Leofric followed in pursuit, stopping only to establish a garrison at Folkhame.  Leofric left strict instruction that no one was to be harmed in the city, that the boroughmoot was to be restored to power and that the provision of the people’s material need should be a priority.  What few members of the Ealdormoot who remained convened at the same time and disavowed all the decrees against Leofric and Osbeorn that they had issued under Godwine’s direction. Leofric continued west in pursuit of Godwine only to encounter another royalist force in the midvale. This force had been the one previously sent west and defeated by another northern army the previous year. This army was utterly destroyed.  Most of the soldiers fled dropping their weapons and casting off what armor they had as they ran.  Those who remained to fight were vastly outmatched by a better led army, and one with a far higher morale.  In fact, many of the residents of the region, remembering the King’s March, joined with Leofric’s forces as the battle raged or served as pickets around the battlefield, capturing fleeing royalist soldiers. [[File:lc5.png|200px|thumb|right|The final marches]] In the end, Leofric continued his march west with surprisingly few casualties. At the base of the Heofodbend Mountain, he was joined by the northern host and by Osbeorn’s army, returned from the Deepwood, minus a border garrison. Godwine had entrenched himself up the mountain at the Crown’s Keep and been joined by the remnants of another royalist host that had been sent into the south without success. Leofric and Osbeorn longed for war to be over, but they knew that an assault on the keep would be a disaster and would cost thousands of men.  The forces of north and south began to lay siege on the keep. By Cyrtenmath, the siege was entering its sixth month without an end in sight.  Leofric and Osbeorn’s forces had constructed impressive siege equipment and were in the midst of planning a massive assault to take the keep and end the war once and for all when a strange visitor begged entrance into the camp.  An old man dressed simply in black sackcloth, begged an audience with the generals.  After having the man searched for any weapons, they admitted him into their presence. He identified himself as Kyrion Halfmage of House Akkadon, the royal house of Carmadh, and a member of the Order of the Sun. He offered a solution to the impasse: the gates of the Crown Keep would open and the soldiers of Godwine’s army would be allowed to return to their homes in exchange for an oath of fealty to Leofric and Osbeorn.  Godwine himself would be allowed to live, but would spend his days in the Royal Crypt under the care of the Order of the Sun.  The Order of the Sun would be granted perpetual dominion over the crypt in exchange for the House of Wulfred dropping any claim to the throne of Greatvale. Leofric responded that the soldiers of Godwine’s army must swear oaths of fealty not to them but to the Ealdormoot of Greatvale.  Osbeorn insisted that all royal and noble houses drop claims to the throne of Greatvale and insisted that the throne itself accompany Godwine into the tomb.  Kyrion Halfmage was startled by these demands and replied, “Then who shall be king?” “No one,” was the joint reply. Halfmage agreed to the terms as laid out by Leofric and Osbeorn and left the camp. Within a week’s time, the first of the defenders of Crown’s Keep began to emerge, each dropping their weapons as they descended the slope of the mountain, giving the place the name Spear’s Fall.  After the army was entirely disbanded, Kyrion Halfmage emerged from the keep with four attendants and another man now dressed only in black sackcloth.  As the man walked by, it was clear that this was Godwine III Beorcyning. Many of the soldiers of the combined armies spat on the ground as he walked by. Others shouted curses or hurled mud and dirt.  But no one unsheathed a sword or lowered a spear: Leofric and Osbeorn had been clear in their orders. Joining in the procession was a cart that had come from Folkhame, bearing the throne of the king.  The jeers for the chair were almost as loud as the jeers for Godwine and many of the soldiers offered grass to the oxen bearing the cart as a sign of camaraderie in the service of liberating the land of the king. As they procession left the armies’ combined camp, Osbeorn asked his steward what food they had available to feast with. The steward replied that because they were preparing to break camp, most of the provisions had been stowed; all they had at hand were a few loaves of bread and some dates. Osbeorn replied, “There was never so sweet a feast as the one of bread and dates that we shall share tonight.”  He and Leofric shared this meal with their stewards, whom they insisted join them in the feast, not as servants, but as brothers-in-arms. A special honor guard accompanied the men from the Order of the Sun on their long march to the Royal Crypt, both to protect them from harm and to ensure that they went inside. Once Kyrion and Godwine and their party entered the Tomb, the door was locked from the inside and the guard took position around the entrance.  A peasant girl brought a wreath to lay at the tomb. Reports vary but some claim this was Leafday Sceaphyrd, the youngest daughter of Swithin Sceaphyrd of Oxbridge.  When the soldiers asked her, “You’re not laying that wreath for Godwine, are you?” she replied, “No, for all those who lost their lives because of Godwine.” “Good,” said one soldier, “because that king was insane.” “No,” she replied, “Kingship is insane.” ==Establishment of the Folkdeed of Greatvale== Leofric and Osbeorn returned to Folkhame but disbanded the bulk of their armies on the way, telling each man to return to his home, tend his flocks or fields. Only garrison forces were left to safeguard important locations. When Leofric and Osbeorn entered into the chambers of the Ealdormoot, they did so in civilian clothing, shocking the members of the Ealdormoot who had expected to find themselves under the thumb of their new liberators. Leofric had summoned the members of the boroughmoot of Brandwyck, and Osbeorn those of Fiscerehæfen to participate in the session. Each delegation having been instructed to seek to extend the folkdeed across all the lands of Greatvale. Leofric stood before them and said, “My countrymen and women, the people of Greatvale are finally free of tyranny. Do not pick up the broken shards of the past; forge something new.  Now that all the royal and noble houses have quit their claims on the throne, Greatvale truly belongs to her people. You have an opportunity to give them a government worthy of their suffering and sacrifice.” Over the ensuring weeks, the reorganization of Greatvale was deliberated and ultimately decided upon in the fashion it is known today.  Leofric and Osbeorn were elected the first two Rædgivers of the Folkdeed and Frithuswith was elected its first Witeger. The election of three nobles to these important posts at first appeared to undermine the Folkdeed’s assertion of equality, but many understood this as important buy-in by the nobles for the cause of the Folkdeed.  Leofric, Osbeorn, and Frithuswith were also the first to ritually disinherit their sons at the age of seventeen, establishing a custom for those who held the offices of Rædgiver and Witeger, a custom that would eventually also include the Ealdormoot, and finally, all of Greatvale.  Leofric and Osbeorn served out their terms before being succeeded by two commoners.  Leofric and Osbeorn would be elected to Rædgiver again over their careers in public life, but would only serve together for this first two-year period. Frithuswith, despite her frequent criticism of Leofric and Osbeorn in their roles as Rædgivers, would remain close friends with both men the rest of their lives. ==Legacy of the Long Campaign== There were those who lamented the length of the war and the cost of life, but others were quick to note that the Long Campaign had given Greatvale sufficient time to let go of its past and to imagine something new.  The Long Campaign had also cemented anti-monarchist sentiment in the population, such that when the Ealdormoot placed the proposed plan before the people, few objected that it lacked a king. Others have noted that had the Folkdeed not been born in such circumstances and placed in the crucible of the Long Campaign, it could never have survived the Catastrophe or the Lost Time that followed. [[Category:Events]] 9ec2818b0e02378e9437735f86a3267d1a5123e6